Never Fast Enough
by Marcena
Summary: A night of racing doesn't go as Knockout expects it at all, how will his life change when he meets a human who's as slick and sly as he is? ( Knockout and one of my OC's. Transformers: Prime universe. ) (My chapters are usually short, I write out little ideas and blurbs, eh heh ')
1. You Started It

It was midnight in Jasper, Nevada. A full moon hung low in the sky, illuminating a sleek red Aston Marton as it made its way down the lonely highway. A voice sang from the car, although no human resided within.

"For a bunch of squishies, their music isn't half bad." the Aston Martin, better known as the Decepticon Medic Knock Out, hummed thoughtfully. He was blaring a song, the genre rock and roll.

He eventually arrived at his destination, silencing the music and smirking to himself as he fell into line with a series of other vehicles. However, unlike him, these machines bore human drivers. None of which were aware that there was a robotic alien in their midst.

"Racers, you know the rules." a younger human female stepped onto the road to examine the six vehicles; three sports cars, two bikes, and Knock Out. "Drive fair, drive fast. First one to the marker wins."

"Drive fair, right." Knock Out scoffed to himself, sizing up this so called competition.

He'd wander away from the other Decepticons whenever he could, usually out of boredom, falling in with the young human racing crowd and rather enjoying it, the fact that he always won, and made sure he always won, probably added to his enjoyment. He'd become somewhat addicted to it and the five to his right tonight were nothing spectacular, easy pickings.

He grinned inwardly as the teenage girl lifted both arms above her head, engines growling along the impromptu starting strip.

In a flash the girl dropped her arms, kneeling until she was bent to the ground, signalling the go.

The vehicles wasted no time, one of the street bikes peeling out into an easy lead.

The racers battled for first for some time, Knock Out eventually pulling to the front. He laughed as the others fell behind, no hope of catching him. "Oh c'mon, this is too easy."

His laughter caught as a light flickered around the last corner he took, advancing on him. "Single light, one of the bikes." he murmured, frowning to himself as it pulled up beside him, the silver and chrome of the machine reflecting the moonlight above.

It wasn't a bike model he could place, and he had studied the faster of Earth's vehicles rather intensely. This one seemed to hold bits and pieces from various bikes, heavily modified, no wonder it and it's rider could keep pace with him.

He studied the rider for a moment before snarling, unable to read anything from the human who wore all dark leather, their helmet tinted to hide their face.

They kept side by side, blowing past the finish line and small crowd, leaving the group murmuring in confusion as the pair of racers kept going.

The human turned to look at him, holding their gaze on him until they nodded slightly, a silent challenge. With that the bike pulled ahead, leaving Knock Out hissing angrily as he accelerated to catch it.

He'd been unable to decipher the gender of the rider, given that both engines masked most of the sound around them. His frustration grew as the bike slipped in front of him, their finish drawing near. "No way human." he lurched forwards, bumping his front end into the rear of the bike which sent it into a wobble, the 'con chuckling as the rider struggled to remain upright.

He jerked to the right to avoid the rider as they fell onto their left side, the rider managing to control the fall so they slid feet and tire first across the pavement. Whoever they were, they were skilled.

There was a screech of metal and shower of sparks as the bike slid through the T shaped intersection, skidding off the road and into the base of an aluminum street light, a street light that bent at the point of impact to tip over and pin the rider beneath.

Knock Out halted as the light fell, his chuckle fading as he stopped and the night fell quiet again.

The human didn't move, only the light on the pole flickering as it finally shorted out and died.

"Slag, didn't mean to kill the squishy." he grumbled, rolling closer to the downed rider.

In a flurry of movement the rider snarled, tearing their helmet off and managing to twist enough in their pinned position to whip it at him. "You son of a bitch!"

Knock Out was stunned, both that the little human had tossed it's helm at him hard enough to dent his hood, and that the human was a female with brilliant blue eyes and golden hair.

The female grunted, trying to shift the post or her bike so she could get free. She realized she was pinned and moaned in frustration, letting her head fall back onto the pavement, her hands going to cover her eyes. "You didn't have to do that you asshole."

"I don't lose." he finally found his voice, moving forwards again and halting a few feet from the downed woman. He would have normally found this sort of thing to be amusing, and would laugh as he sped off. But he found himself inspecting what he could of her with her gloved hands covering her face. He almost jumped when she jerked her hands away, glaring up at him. Who knew a human could look so angry?

"You going to stare all night or help me out? Given this was your doing." she did her best to fold her arms in her position, scowling up at him.

He pondered a moment. "I don't usually play nice."

"No shit."

"But, perhaps I may. Just this once, if you ask nicely." he purred.

"Fuck you." she snorted, turning away from him and trying again to free herself.

He laughed, rolling back some. "Do try not to scream hmm?" He began to transform, the metal of his body sliding and shifting as he did so.

The woman turned to watch him, holding a poker face until he had finished the process.

"Pretty fabulous right?" he smirked, dusting one of his shoulders off.

Her eyes roved up and down his body, an eyebrow finally lifting out of confusion. "Either a science project gone crazy, or you're not from around here."

"The second one." he replied, frowning a little as he looked down at her.

She was so calm, no hint of fear on her face, only the ebbing rage from earlier. "How far."

"Far far, other solar system far." he shrugged, bending to easily pluck the pole from her.

"I see." she carefully gathered her feet underneath herself, pushing her body upright with a groan. She moved to her bike next, righting the silver machine. "Oh you ass, look at my baby, ruined! The paint, the chrome!" She flicked it's kickstand out, kneeling to inspect the bike.

"Your baby?" he scoffed. "Look at me! Your stupid helmet scratched me, maybe dented it. Do you know how annoying that will be to repair?"

"You started it." she snapped, rising with a slight grimace of pain. She set her hands on her hips, turning to face him.

Knock Out found himself inspecting her again. When he first arrived on Earth, he had been rather surprised to see that humans held the same bodily structure as his species, two legs, two arms, stood upright, etcetera. It made it easier to evaluate them. She seemed attractive enough, for her species anyways. Her blonde hair had been twisted up into some sort of bun, although a few wisps floated about her face in the night breeze. She was quite thin, but her hourglass body promised she held muscle beneath her gear.

"Got a name?" she asked, snapping him from his musings.

"Of course."

"And?"

"And what?"

She rolled her eyes. "What is it?"

"Why would I tell a fleshy like you?" he folded his arms, raising a brow at her.

"Because I asked so nicely you bucket head."

He blinked a little at the insult she easily flung back at him. Despite himself, he found a grin on his lips as he spoke. "Knock Out."

"I suppose that's suiting." she grumbled, looking back at her bike. "I'm Di."

"Di?"

"Diana, Diana Kerrin." she glanced back to him, shrugging gently.

"Well, Diana Kerrin, you should consider yourself honored to meet me." he smirked, tucking one hand behind his back.

"Uh huh." she kept her hands on her hips, studying him with those vivid blue eyes. She eventually sighed, turning to her bike again. "This is going to be such a pain, so much buffing." She smoothed a finger over the deep scrapes.

"I could do that." he spoke without thinking, freezing as he realized what he'd just offered.

She seemed surprised as well, looking over her shoulder at him. "And why would an ass like you do that?"

He didn't really have an answer for the moment, only that he found himself rather intrigued by this girl, but he'd never admit it. "I'm a Doctor, and given that my race are like me..." he trailed off, gesturing about with the hand not tucked behind his form.

"I'm assuming machines are your specialty then." she looked between her bike and him. "How do I know you won't simply crush me into oblivion?"

"And get all dirty from your fluids and innards? Disgusting." he scoffed, waving a hand.

She laughed for the first time, the sound surprisingly delicate. "Big alien robot, scared of gore."

"Not gore." he corrected. "We're made of wires, cabling and other parts, whereas you and your kind are full of nothing but goo and filth."

"Uh huh." she smirked, going quiet a moment. She jerked one thumb westward towards the highway. "About thirty miles that way, left on the Rose Road. There's an older metal shop, old garage. That's me."

She walked nearer to him and Knock Out found himself taking a step back, worried she may try to touch him. Instead she bent, collecting her helmet and turning to walk back to her bike.

"Tomorrow morning." she said, slipping her helmet back on. "Oh and, for the record. I may have been sliding, but I still crossed the finish before you." she hummed, winking at him before dropping her visor down and starting her bike. With a rev of it's engine and squeal of it's tires she was gone, tail light disappearing in the dark.

Knock Out stood where he was for some time, staring down the road after her. A smile was on his face before he even realized it, and he shook his head to clear himself. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

**Well, if you've come this far, I hope you liked it! I plan on continuing this story, I've fallen in love with the series, and Knock Out of course. (Because who hasn't fallen for that voice?)**

**I'd like to remind everyone that I own nothing from the Transformer universe, I claim only my original content and characters. :)**


	2. Nothing Special

"The hell was that." Diana murmured, roused from her sleep by some noise she couldn't quite identify while so groggy, mind still waking up.

She was on her stomach, sprawled face first across her bed, still clothed in her outfit from last night. She'd been so sore when she'd gotten home she hadn't bothered to change and had flopped onto her bed.

A groan rolled up her throat as she rolled onto her back, eventually making it into a sitting position on her bed, her legs slung over the side so her still booted feet could rest on the floor. She rubbed at her head a moment, freeing her hair from the bun she'd pinned it into the day before and relieving her skull from the headache that coursed through it. A quick glance down at herself revealed a rather battered looking left leg.

She pursed her lips, trying to recollect what had happened. The race, the red Aston Martin, sliding into the post, the robot, wait, the robot. Her eyes widened at the memory. A sharp sound from outside, a car horn, made her jump, apparently the sound that had roused her from her sleep.

The horn sounded again, followed by the deep voice of the Decepticon. "Are you going to make me wait out here all day squishy? Sand is fragging everywhere."

Diana rose slowly, hesitating a moment before bolting down the staircase and across the garage floor, much to her aching body's protest. She reached the wall that three large garage doors were set in, flicking a switch to open the nearest door.

Without hesitation Knock Out rolled in, zipping to the middle of the concrete floor and burning a semi circle until he faced her.

She only stared at him, still half surprised he wasn't a halucination from her head hitting the ground last night.

With a light chuckle the bot transformed. "Miss me squishy?"

"In your dreams tin face." she reached for the button again, shutting the door as she headed back to the staircase that led to what she'd fashioned into living quarters.

The garage had once been a thriving business, owned by her mother and father, it was through them that she'd learned how to take apart and fix anything mechanical or electronic. It had two basic areas, the larger being the bays that had composed the machine floor. There were three bays, side by side, nothing dividing them. Work benches lined the wall opposite the doors, tools scattered about them.

The right side of the building had two higher levels to it, the first Diana had converted into a storage area slash office space. A second flight of stairs led to the upper loft, which she had turned into an apartment of sorts. The place had no walls to seperate her bedroom; which sat in the far left corner, her living room; which took up the center of the space, her kitchen; located in the near right corner, and her bathroom; which was in the far right corner. She had strung up curtains about the bathroom, providing the space with privacy.

Knock Out glanced about the shop, humming to himself. "Pretty messy in here, must be a human thing."

"Cleaning isn't really on the top of my to do list." she shrugged, reaching her loft and leaning on the railing that overlooked the shop below, watching him.

"Lazy fleshling."

"Offensive garbage can."

Knock Out snorted, his attention drawn to the various vehicles scattered about the large space. Most seemed to be in a paused state of repair, the hoods popped and parts scattered about. A grin crossed the red bots face. "I see we share an interest." he knelt over a car, an older muscle car.

"What, fixing things?" she frowned a little.

"Taking things apart." he said with a confident smirk, rising and walking over to her. He halted at the loft, it was just the right height that she was about level with his chest, able to poke his chin if she desired.

"I have a feeling you and I take things apart for very different reasons." she said, her head tipped to the side and a look of amusement on her face.

"Don't lie, there's only one reason to tear something apart, to see what makes it, tick."

Diana rolled her eyes.

"Question." he raised one hand, a finger pointed towards the roof.

"Answer." she quipped, pushing back from the railing to fold her arms over her stomach.

"Are all skinbags as filthy as you, or are you unique in that regard."

She scowled at him, about to snap back when he continued on.

"I only ask because you look rather, dirty, still in your garments from yesterday. It was my understanding that humans changed often." he smirked. "And bathed, you look greasy."

Diana frowned, looking down at herself. True, her clothing was torn up on the left side, half dried blood oozing from her leg. "I was tired." she mumbled, turning to head for her bedroom, specifically her dresser.

Knock Out didn't miss the limp to her walk. "You humans are so frail, you know that?"

"Probably because we're not giant ass robots." she muttered, pulling a clean pair of pants and a fresh tee shirt from her drawers. "Now are you actually going to keep your promise or did you come here to just harass me?" she turned to face him.

"Meh, I'll fix it, but frankly, I'm curious, why do you regard me with such a calm demeanor." he tilted his head to the side, a grin on his lips and a deviousness to his voice. "I mean, you have no idea what I'm all about, what I'm capable of."

She quirked her lips to the side, eventually shrugging and turning for her bathroom. "You're nothing special."

The bot frowned, glaring after her as she disappeared behind the curtains to her bath.

"Funny." He pushed off the wall, turning back towards the shop.

Diana groaned, setting her fresh clothes onto the closed toilet lid and wobbling to the shower, a slight smile on her face.

She rather loved her shower, it had no enclosure to it, as the whole bathroom was tiled. Only a slight ledge encircled the shower, about five inches high, to funnel the water into the drain. She loved the open space.

With a soft sigh she pulled her clothing off, tossing it in a heap in the corner. She turned the shower on, giving it a moment to warm up while she inspected her shredded leg, dotted with road rash but overall nothing serious.

Without warning the curtain encasing her bathroom was drawn back, a bored looking Knock Out the culprit.

Diana shrieked, using her hands to cover herself. "What the hell! Don't you have any manners?"

"No, why would I?" the bot replied casually.

"Well, trying to shower, a little privacy please!" she hissed.

Knock Out shook his head. "Relax fleshy, you're nothing special."

She scowled at his reuse of her quip.

"I was only going to say, are all your tools so fraggin' tiny?" he lifted his hand that wasn't holding her curtains back, a small tool pinched in his fingers.

"What do you think." she grumbled, still holding her hands and arms over herself.

Knock Out sighed, dropping the curtain and turning away. "This is going to be a pain."

"You started it!" she shouted, stepping into the water to clean herself.

* * *

**Sorry for short posts, time allows me to only write snippets. ^_^'**

**Someone had asked me what Diana really looked like, I found a picture I like on DeviantArt and linked to it on Chapter Two (of this story) on my DeviantArt account, if you're curious go snoop XshadowsenshiX, das me. :)**


	3. Don't Let It Go To Your Head

Diana huffed angrily, still annoyed at the bots intrusion of her shower. She couldn't help but wonder if she was really right in the head to be allowing him to come to her home. With a soft sigh she turned the water off, hanging her head a moment, letting the water drip from the ends of her blonde hair. But hey, how often did one meet a kickass alien robot right?

"Spend any longer in there and you'll start to rust." Knock Out called in a sing song voice, still out in the center of the shop.

"Humans don't rust you idiot." she scoffed, taking a towel and quickly drying herself before slipping into her clean clothes; a pair of boot cut jeans and a tight fitting red tee shirt.

"Right, you just sweat and cry and do other disgusting things." he replied, the disdain obvious in his tone.

She rolled her eyes, taking a pony tail from her bathroom cabinet before stepping out of the bathroom, reaching her arms up behind her head to braid her long hair as she walked towards the loft's railing.

Knock Out had his back to her, both hands hidden in front of his chest.

Diana frowned a bit, unable to see her bike.

"You know, this would be much easier if I had my tools." he began, turning towards her, revealing that he was holding her bike in one hand.

Her eyes widened and she dashed towards the stairs. "What the hell are you doing? Put it down!"

He blinked at her, taking a step back as she ran towards him.

"You wreck it more and I'll beat the crap out of you."

Knock Out snorted, lifting the bike higher. "Your efforts to do so would be very amusing."

"I've got a cutting torch in here." she said, folding her arms over her chest and halting a few feet from him, glaring daggers. "And I'm not afraid to use it."

"We're assuming you could catch me squishy." he crouched, setting her bike down before turning to look at her, his elbows propped on his bent knees.

"I seem to remember catching you last night, and beating you."

"Hardly." Knock Out sneered, rolling his eyes.

"You had to cheat to stop me." she grinned, taking a few steps closer to him.

He watched her warily, though he didn't move away from her as he had before. "Whatever, as I was saying, if I could take this back to my ship, where my tools are -"

"Wait, you have a ship?"

"Obviously." he scoffed. "It's not mine personally, but that's where I work, reside, whatever."

"Where is it?"

"Where do you think?"

Diana's nose crinkled in thought. "Most countries keep a tight watch over their airspace, how have you not been detected?"

Knock Out laughed. "Please, we have cloaking devices, masks for our signals."

She tipped her head to the side at his use of we and our. "How many of you are there?"

He seemed to ponder that a moment. "Given the Autobots keep thinning our numbers, the new arrivals who keep coming, few hundred maybe, give or take?"

"Autobots?"

"The glitches we're at war with."

"War?"

Knock Out sighed, rising and gesturing about with his hands. "I didn't come here to play teacher."

"Then let's play a game." she said, a smirk on her face.

The red bot glanced back to her, suspicion in his crimson optics. "Game?"

"I ask you a question, you get to ask me one." she replied, walking over to see what he had done to her bike, which appeared to be nothing so far, lazy robot.

He considered a moment before moving to crouch behind her, legs spread a tad so he could rest his elbows on his knees again. "Alright, me first."

"Shoot."

"Bad thing to say." he purred.

Diana rolled her eyes at him. "A human phrase for go ahead."

"Very well, why are you alone here? As I understood it, humans often reside together."

She shrugged gently. "My family used to own this shop, but my parents died a few years back. I had no other family, and the inheritance left me well enough off, I just never left I guess, They were mechanics, taught me a lot. I work a little every now and then, restoring vehicles."

"Mmm."

"Why are you at war with those Autobots?" she turned from her bike, standing so she could look at him.

"Because they're a bunch of slagging do-gooders." he scoffed, continuing when she arched a brow at him. "My people are from a planet called Cybertron, our society had a caste system, though unlike the ones on your world, you were always confined to your place in society, sometimes fighting to the death with others for the amusement of those better than you. As you can imagine, some didn't like that, so our leader Megatron started a revolution, that sparked a civil war, the planet died and we scattered across the galaxy."

"Sounds awful." she said softly.

"Yeah well, slag happens." he sighed, turning his red gaze on her again. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Should I be?"

"Yes." he said, a grin on his lips. "I am a Decepticon after all, we have no time for nonsense."

"Decepticons, deception, sounds like the bad team." she chuckled.

Knock Out shook his head. "We're the ones who were willing to do what it took to change things." he trailed off, voice fading as though he were doubting his own words.

Diana watched him for a moment, curious about the far off gaze in his eyes, as though he were considering something, regretting something. "I'm not afraid of you for two reasons." she spoke.

He blinked, pulled from his musings to look at her again.

"One, I love anything mechanical, so as a giant robot, you're fascinating, and don't let that go to your head. Two, you're interesting, and not just on the mechanical level." she shrugged. "Why are you still talking with me? Why not just forget you met me or squash me to keep your presence a secret?"

His mouth worked a moment, eyes scrutinizing her tiny frame, eventually falling on the braid she had slung over her shoulder, the end of which hung just below her breast. "You're interesting, and don't let that go to your head." he grinned. "Why have you stayed alone? I mean, I know humans are scrap and everything but." he gestured with his right hand, looking amused.

"I don't really like people, everyone's out for themselves, no care for anyone else, I just prefer it I guess. I mean, I have some friends, but aside from that." she glanced to her bare feet, wiggling her toes a little. "I've always preferred machines, they don't talk back, don't judge."

Knock Out grinned widely at that. "Until now right?"

"Don't make me lick you."

He made a face of disgust. "Don't you dare."

She laughed, reaching a hand out to splay her palm against a bit of his leg. "Ooh, little human, real nasty!"

The Medic scowled down at her but didn't move, instead trying to study her touch. Her hand was tiny in comparison, but oddly warm and soft, not as offensive as he'd guessed it would be.

"But, moving on, why are you and your people here?" she let her hand fall from his leg, looking up at him again.

"Random chance I suppose, there were signals from your planet, Cybertronian ones, downed ships and various artifacts, so we fight the Autobots for them."

"What do the Autobots want out of this war?"

"Peace." he said, shrugging gently as if the concept were confusing.

"Well, now you definitely sound like the bad guys." she turned on her heel, headed for the stairs back to her living area.

"We're the guys who know how to have fun, the Autobots are weaklings." he rose, walking after her and watching as she went to her dresser again, pulling out more clothing. "What are you doing?"

"You mean what are we doing?" she plucked a pair of socks out of her drawer, as well as a sweater.

"We?" he frowned a little at her statement.

"Yes, you wrecked my ride, so you can take me to town." she said, sitting on the edge of her bed to pull her socks on. "I have a few errands to run."

"And why would I want to do that.?"

"You haven't fixed my bike yet, so you still owe me." she rummaged about the nightstand beside her bed, retrieving a credit card and tucking it into her pocket along with her cell phone.

Knock Out arched a brow, quiet a moment, his stare holding hers until he finally gave in with a flail of his arms. "Oh fine, you better not get me dirty." he turned towards one of the garage doors, the thing opening on his silent command.

She blinked a little, following after him. "You can open my doors?"

"Please, your people's attempts at technology are amusing, so much of your information floats about wirelessly. It's easy to pick up on, I could pester you on that device you carry if I wanted to too." he stepped into the morning sun, glancing about the deserted place.

"It's a cell phone." she scowled, a little unhappy that he could invade her privacy so easily if he desired.

"Whatever." he waved a hand at her, turning to face her.

She only met him with an expectant look.

"I'm serious squishy, you get any of your fluids on me -" he knelt and pushed a finger against her chest, making her stagger back a step or two. "- and I'll dump you somewhere unpleasant."

Diana chuckled, lifting a hand. "Scout's honor."

"Wha-?"

"Human phrase."

"Right." he said slowly, his body shifting until he had transformed into his alternate mode, an Aston Martin V12 Sagato.

"You know, for an alien robot who turns into a car -" she walked up to him, carefully tracing her hands along the curves of his alt form. "- you're not half bad, looks wise that is. Why are you an Aston Martin?"

"It was attractive."

"No arguement there, but I mean, why a human vehicle, and how?" she kept her hands on him, smoothing soft fingers along his paint job.

He hand to find his voice, rather intruiged by her touch. "We're able to scan anything that's a vehicle, we log it to our memory and then we can turn into it. And posing as one of Earth's machines makes it easier to act undetected."

"So you could be an F-18 if you wanted?"

"Technically, yes, but I prefer the flash of a ground based alt mode." he chuckled, revving his engine as if to prove his point.

"But doesn't it hinder you? Being unable to fly?"

"Please, you sound like Starscream." he grumbled.

"Who's that?"

"One of the higher ups, a real glitch, are we going or not?"

"Didn't know if I should just hop in." she smirked.

With a slight huff he popped open his passenger side door.

"What, I can't drive?" she teased, slipping inside.

"Don't press your luck fleshling." he shut the door behind her, immediately tearing out of the parking lot. He didn't miss the wide smile on her face as he accelerated.

"Um, hot shot?" she smirked, leaning back in her seat, not bothering with her seatbelt, trusting him for reasons she couldn't discern.

"What."

"Town's that way." she lifted her hand, pointing behind them with her thumb.

* * *

**Well, I know the Segato isn't what Knock is in the series, but I think it's perfect and dang sexy. (I'd link but... if you just web search ****Aston Martin V12 Segato****, you'll find what I mean. :) )**

***Edit: Thelostzelda on Deviant Art hath informed me that Knock Out does have a designated mode now, he's an altered Aston Martin DBS Coupe. I just picked the Segato cause when I was searching about for his alt. mode I was unawares of the DBS, I just wanted to inform! *adjusts her monocle* Enjoy the random informations.***

**Thank you to everyone who's read/reviewed!**


	4. A Tentative Friendship

"This is stupid, why did I agree to this." Knock Out muttered. He was driving, much too slowly in his opinion, down main street Jasper.

"Because you knocked my bike down, tore it apart and then whined about not having the right tools and left it, thus, you owe me." Diana smirked, resting her elbow against the door so she could twirl her braided hair between her fingers.

"Whatever." the Decepticon sighed. "Where are we going anyways?"

"I need groceries, so hang a left here."

"Groceries?" he asked.

"You know, supplies for people, food and all that good stuff. Don't you guys ingest, something, to keep yourselves happy?" she quirked a brow.

"We consume energon." he took a moment, searching the internet for the usuals of human groceries. "It doesn't spoil like your foods do, oh disgusting, they can grow stuff when they go bad? You are not putting that in me." he abruptly stopped, still in the middle of the street.

Diana blinked at the halt, shifting to look around as traffic began to back up behind them. "You can't just stop where you want!" she exclaimed, glad he had his windows tinted so darkly that no one could see her when people began to honk and shout at them. "You have to move!"

"Hah, I'd like to see them make me - hey!" he snapped as Diana leaned forward and slapped the dashboard. "Do NOT hit the interior!"

"Then move your mechanical ass! You're causing a ruckus!" she lifted her hand again, holding it menacingly.

"Fine." he muttered, a bit of a pout to his tone, as he lurched forwards with tires squealing. Minutes later he pulled into the parking lot of the store Diana had directed him to. He came to a halt in front of the store.

"You have to park dummy, the spaces painted on the pavement." she pointed to the parking lot.

He sighed, over exaggerating the sound as he moved for the nearest stall, one that had some sort of symbol painted on it.

"This is handicapped, you can't park here." she laughed, amused at his frusteration.

"Why do you humans have so many idiotic rules?!" he huffed, jerking forwards and zipping to the next available spot, his actions drawing a few curious looks from the people in the parking lot. "The strongest should be able to do as they please."

Diana only laughed at him, reaching for the door, though it popped open at her touch. "Thank you."

He mumbled something she couldn't make out.

"Just wait, I won't be long."

"Wait? Here? What am I supposed to do while I sit here?" he whined.

"I don't know. look up funny pictures of cats or something, that's always popular with people." she teased, blowing him a kiss before turning to head for the store, her ballet flats tapping softly on the pavement.

"Right, cats." he mumbled. "What's a cat..."

Diana had barely gotten half of the items on her mental grocery list when her phone bleeped. She tugged the touch screen phone from her pocket, a message for her, but no name or number. "Oh great." she muttered, having a sneaking suspicion as to who it was as she tapped it to read it.

**"You're taking too long."** the text read.

Before she could type a reply another text flashed over the screen, then another.

**"It's hot out here."**

**"People keep walking over to stare at me, you'd think they'd never seen a car before."**

**"Most of them murmur about how good I look, at least they're smart enough to know that."**

**"Are we going anywhere else after this?"**

**"You'd better hurry because if someone touches me I'm going to kick them across this lot."**

**"Why are cats so afraid of a vacumn?"**

Finally, her phone rang. Flustered, she answered it. "What?!"

_"Why are you taking so long?"_ Knock Out's voice quipped over the line.

"I'm going as fast as I can alright? Just shut up and let me shop!" she said a little too loudly, the few people in the aisle glancing to her.

The bot grumbled softly. _"Then talk while you shop, sitting is boring, that's why I sneak off the ship."_

"Should you really be blabbing about that stuff over the phone? Your, alien stuff?" she frowned, pulling a bottle from the shelf and dropping it into the basket that hung from the crook of her elbow.

_"Oh please, I dare a human to try and get through to this line."_

"Uh huh."

_"What're you doing?"_

"I'm picking out cereal." she shook her head, it was like talking with a five year old.

_"At least that can't rot like your vegetables and fruit, or meat, or dairy."_

"Will you just shut up about that? Honestly! I'm not even getting anything perishable, and I'm done, I just have to pay."

_"Why pay?"_ he asked, confusion in his voice. _"You want it, just take it."_

"That would be stealing." she said with a grin, arriving at the check outs.

_"They wouldn't catch us."_

"It's still wrong."

_"A technicality."_ he replied, humor in his voice.

"You're an idiot."

_"You're a glitch."_

She rolled her eyes, hanging up on him as she stalked out of the store.

Her feet had barely touched the pavement of the parking lot when he tore from his parking spot, flying towards her and slamming on his brakes so he skid in a two hundred and seventy degree turn before opening the door for her.

"You are such a show off." she groaned, being stared at for the millionth time that day as she climbed into the Aston Martin.

"If you've got it, flaunt it." he hummed happily, accelerating out of the parking lot.

"Ever heard of modesty?"

"On occasion, sounds boring."

"Right." she rolled her eyes, setting the two bags she had in the back and relaxing in her seat. "Alright, I need to head out of town now, it's a bit of a drive."

She could hear the grin in his voice. "Now we're talking." he shifted his engine, streaking out of the city limits.

"Need to head to the mountains, I have to pick up some parts for a car I'm working on, this is the only place I can get them given their age. It's about a two hour drive."

"Oh fleshy, you have much to learn about speed."

A grin was on her lips. "Show me what you've got bolt breath."

He only laughed as he obliged, pushing himself faster.

Diana was still grinning, her eyes on his speedometer for a bit before she glanced out the windshield. "Put the windows down."

Knock Out obeyed, rolling the driver and passenger side windows down, allowing a blast of air inside.

The girl laughed, tugging the tie from the end of her braid and shaking her hair free, closing her eyes as it billowed about her in the wind, still damp from her shower.

He found himself distracted for a moment, watching the streams of gold dance about her, her face perfectly serene, happy.

Eventually she opened her eyes. "Actually, we probably shouldn't be speeding."

"You think someone could catch us?" he replied.

"I didn't say that, I guess, it doesn't really matter out here, but if we were closer to a more populated area, the police have helicopters to track you. You can't outrun that."

"I'd deal with it."

"How?" she frowned, not liking the tone of his voice.

"I do have weapons you know, cannons, blades and so on."

"You can't just, kill someone, you're the one who broke the law, it'd be your fault." she kept her frown, turning to look out the window again.

"I'm not human, why should I follow your rules?" he teased.

"Because they're there for a fucking reason." she snapped, turning to glare at his dashboard.

Knock Out paused a moment, hesitating before querying. "Why so touchy?"

She didn't reply, only stared out the window.

"Fleshy?"

"My parents died in a car accident, a drunk driver hit them, he was speeding." she said flatly.

The bot pondered that information. "I'm, sorry I guess, I can't really relate."

Diana looked back, a brow raised. "Did you just apologize?"

"You have no proof of that." he sang, eager to cheer her up, not at all acting like he usually did. Why was he behaving so odd around this human?

She rolled her eyes, falling silent for a bit before asking. "Your people don't have parents? How are you, made?"

"Well, we all started with Primus and Unicron, our gods you could say. They fought, a lot. Unicron pretty much wanted to destroy everything and Primus wanted to prevent that, so he created the first Thirteen Primes."

Diana nodded, listening quietly.

"They defeated Unicron and he hasn't been heard from since. After that, Primus gave himself to create our world, and that was where the All Spark settled, in the Well of Sparks."

"What's the All Spark?"

"It is what gives us life, it has the power to create Cybertronians."

She hummed thoughtfully. "So you all come from that?"

"Most do, myself included, but we do possess the capability to reproduce with a partner if we desire."

"I see. Sounds, interesting." she smiled, posture and face relaxed once again.

"I suppose."

Diana glanced back out her window. "So what was life like for you before coming here?"

"Like I said, I'm a doctor." there was a hint of pride to his voice.

"Right, and you were that before the war?"

"Mmhmm."

"Tell me more."

* * *

**Warming up a tad...**


	5. Like Glass

They had chatted most of the way to the small mountain town Diana navigated them to. She, asking him about his people, what they were made of, how they worked. He pestered her about human customs, odd habits and hobbies they had.

Eventually they arrived at a run down repair shop, Diana smiling as an elderly man appeared in the doorway to the building.

"I'll be two minutes, just wait." she said as she reached for the door, but as before, Knock Out opened it for her. She still wasn't sure if it was because he didn't want her to smudge the door handle or if he was being polite.

"I'll be counting." he quipped.

She rolled her eyes, walking over to the old man who regarded her with a warm smile. "Hello Arnold, how are you?"

He smiled at her, offering a grease stained hand and shaking hers gently. "Just fine Little Di, just fine." he gestured behind her to the red car, gleaming in the sunlight. "Friend of yours?"

"You could say that." she glanced over her shoulder at Knock Out, knowing he could hear them.

"Why doesn't he come out, say hello?" Arnold looked back to Diana.

"He's not exactly the social type, prefers to not be seen." she shrugged.

She could have sworn the Aston Martin scoffed.

"Ah, well then." the old man turned, leading her into his garage, rummaging about a moment before finding two small boxes.

"You're a lifesaver, you have no idea how hard these old parts are to find." Diana beamed, taking the boxes from him.

Arnold chuckled. "Well, there's a lot of old parts around here."

"How much do I owe you?"

"Nothing my dear, I owe a lot to your father, rest his soul, I'm happy to help." he took one of her hands in his own, shaking it gently.

Diana nodded, smiling. She'd grown up knowing Arnold, and knew better than to try and argue away his gifts. "If you need a favor, just let me know."

Arnold nodded, walking her back to the doorway. "That's an impressive looking machine, must be a fancy boyfriend of yours to own something like that."

Diana stiffened beside him, her eyes on Knock Out. "He's not my boyfriend, just a, friend I guess." she said quickly, unable to hide the shade of red washing over her cheeks.

The elderly man chuckled, turning back into his shop with a wave of his hand. "Sure sure, that's what they all say."

With a sigh Diana returned to Knock Out, the bot opening the door for her again. "Crazy old man."

"You took three minutes forty seven seconds." Knock Out grinned, starting up and backing out of the little driveway the moment she settled in her seat.

"Oh shut it." she rolled her eyes at him, slouching in her seat, cheeks still red.

"So, boyfriend huh?" there was a mischievous note to his voice.

"In your dreams." she retorted. "Just drive, okay? Take the Highway." she folded her arms over her chest, slouching a little more in a pout.

"It's understandable that even a fleshy like you would be smitten by my charm and good looks."

"You've done nothing but pick on me since we met."

"It's fun, what can I say?" he chuckled, skidding around a corner of the mountain highway. "Where are we going anyways? This route would take us longer to return."

"It's a surprise." she said softly, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"I don't like surprises."

"Surprises are fun." she frowned at him.

"Because the types of surprises I encounter are usually people shooting at me, or scratching the paint." he muttered.

"Well this is a good surprise, I promise."

About ten minutes later, Diana directed him off the highway, onto a little traveled dirt road. Knock Out had protested the dirt of course, worried about becoming dirty. Diana had told him to quit being a baby and man up, something he took as a challenge.

"You don't have to go as fast as you can on this you moron." she sighed, jostled a bit in her seat.

"I always go fast pinkie."

"Uh huh." she shook her head, mood shifting as they rounded a bend in the road and a picturesque lake came into view, settled perfectly between the mountains. "We're here." she was scrambling out of her seat before he came to a full stop.

"Whoa whoa, why so excited?" he asked, watching as she gathered her bags and the two boxes, setting them aside so he could shift into his bipedal form.

"I have a lot of good memories here, my parents used to take me here on weekends, we'd swim." she smiled, heading for the shoreline.

Knock Out snorted, following after her carefully. "I certainly hope you don't plan on doing that now."

"Why? Afraid of water too?" she teased, turning and walking backwards a few steps so she could smile up at him.

"Water does bad things to a bot, I prefer myself rust free thank you very much."

Diana laughed at him, hopping down a little drop, about two feet tall where the dirt ended and the rocky shoreline began. "You're such a baby."

He rolled his eyes at her, stepping onto the rocks as well, though he didn't approach the waters edge as she did.

"Ooh, cold." she smiled, having pulled one foot from her flats to dip her toes into the water.

"Mmm." Knock Out mumbled, glancing about the area.

"Pretty, right?" she smiled, replacing her shoe and walking over to him.

"It has it's charm, I admit." he looked to her, watching as she examined the stones, selecting a flattened one. "What are you doing?"

"Haven't you ever skipped rocks?" she turned to face the water, hurling the rock at it and smiling as it skipped six times. "My Dad taught me, we'd always compete."

Knock Out lifted a brow, looking to the rocks to find one he could toss, albeit the stone was much larger in comparison to hers. "I can throw farther than you." he tossed the rock, counting the six skips.

"You count the distance and the number of skips silly, not just distance." she grinned up at him, "And I got really good, no one could beat me."

"I bet I could." he matched her grin, setting a hand on his hip to look down at her.

"Well duh, you're bigger and stronger." she rolled her eyes, turning and walking to the dirt step, sitting and reclining against it with her legs stretched out before her.

"I could factor in the size, mass of our bodies, relative strength... get it on the same level mathematically -"

She lifted her hands, laughing and interrupting him. "Alright alright, you're putting way too much thought into this, it's supposed to be a relaxing thing."

He shrugged, moving beside her and dropping to sit as well. His left leg, which was nearest her, slid out to lie flat. He bent his right leg at the knee, resting his right arm across it.

They sat in silence for a bit before Diana spoke. "I think, this is my favorite place, the most beautiful place I know."

Knock Out hummed thoughtfully. "My favorite place was Crystal City." he continued at Diana's curious glance. "It's exactly what it sounds like, a city constructed to look like it's composed of crystal, entirely." A smile formed on his face, warm and genuine. "It was beautiful, especially at sunset." His smile faded a bit, his gaze lifting skywards. "I wish I could see it again."

"Maybe you can go back one day?" Diana said softly, offering a smile.

"Even if I did, the City was destroyed in the war, nothing left of it." there was an obvious ache to his voice, a sadness in his optics as he glanced to her.

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged, clearing his throat. "Slag happens." He frowned, slightly embarrassed that he'd become so sentimental, he never talked like this.

The pair sat quietly again, simply glancing out over the lake, which was as still and clear as glass.

* * *

They arrived back at Diana's place late afternoon, the sun still high in the sky.

Knock Out opened the garage doors, zipping in as if he owned the place and waiting before Diana removed herself and her items before transforming.

"Thanks for driving me." she smirked, heading up to her loft to put her things away.

"Eh." she shrugged off the thanks, lifting his left arm. A soft point of light blinked on, a holographic screen appearing over his forearm.

Diana blinked. "That's fancy."

"Just a holoscreen, lot's of bots have them." he tapped his finger against it, frowning gently at the words on it.

"You can interact with it? Touch it?" she tilted her head to the side, watching him.

"Of course, we have a few things like this, holoforms are the most common."

"What's that."

"It makes a smaller version of us, it's kind of remote controlled I suppose, most of our consciousness is transferred to that although we can still control our main body. We can see, feel, taste, touch and hear what it does, it becomes an extension of us." he sighed, lowering his arm, the screen vanishing.

"So you could pop out a tiny version of you?" she laughed, trying to imagine him smaller.

"In theory, the problem is the power needed to be able to produce a holoform takes a lot of Energon, our peoples lifeblood, and one of the main reasons we're on your planet, a lot of it was stashed here during the war. So even if I acquired the tech to learn how to form one, I wouldn't have the means to make it."

"Mmm, I take it that stashing happened long before humans were here." she leaned on the railing, folding her arms along it. He'd explained to her as best he could their life cycles, impressing her with how long lived Cybertronians were.

"I couldn't give you an exact time, I was doing other things when it happened." he stepped to the still open door, pausing in the door frame.

"Are you going?" Diana asked, straightening and watching him.

"I should, if I'm out too long Megatron gets, agitated." he shrugged, still hesitating to leave.

"Oh, well, if he's a pissy as you say, probably best to not make him angry." there was a hint of sadness to her voice.

"Don't worry squishy, I'll be back tomorrow, after all, I still owe you." and with that he stepped outside, bowing as he closed the door behind himself with a smirk.

Diana could only laugh as she heard him shift forms and tear off.


	6. Almost Like Home

True to his word, Knock Out returned the next day, although it was late afternoon when he finally arrived. He found all the doors to Diana's shop wide open, probably to provide her with a breeze as she was bent over the front end of a car, buried under it's hood and working.

She hadn't heard him arrive, probably due to the noisy tool she had in hand, and Knock Out had to grin. "Oh too perfect." he hummed softly, a smirk in his voice as he ever so carefully rolled up behind her, halting mere inches from her heels before sounding his horn and shouting. "Hey pinkie!"

Diana shrieked, bolting upright and cracking her head on the hood, dropping her tool and staggering back from the car.

Regret instantly filled the Medic as she stumbled back and he did his best to catch her, letting her sprawl across his hood on her backside. "Squishy?"

"What the fuck was that for!?" she wailed, still laying on her back, both hands clinging to her head. "You won't be happy until you've split my head open, will you?"

"I didn't mean for that to happen, I just wanted to scare you." he spoke softly, sheepishly.

Diana had to laugh at his quiet tone. "Well, mission accomplished Knocks." She sat up with a groan, keeping her right hand against her head, sitting on the edge of his hood. "I'm not bleeding am I? I'd hate you get you all icky."

Knock Out was quiet a moment, first trying to process the little nickname she'd given him, and the affectionate tone she'd used to say it. Secondly, pondering the fact that she may have bled on him. "I sincerely hope not." he muttered, though he was still more concerned about her.

She chuckled softly, standing and turning to face him so she could inspect his hood. "All good, how about me?" she bowed her head forwards.

The bot transformed, ending the process in a kneeling position so he could examine her head. "You're leaking." he said in a hushed tone, worry in his optics. "We need to solder the wound before you lose too much."

He lifted his right hand and Diana watched with wide eyes as the appendage changed until it was the Cybertronian version of a soldering gun.

"Hey hey!" she re-grasped her head in her hands, her work gloves still covering the extremities. "Humans don't solder! We're squishy, remember?"

"Oh, right." he paused, letting his hand reform into its usual appearance. "Medic mode, sorry." he offered a slight grin.

She had to laugh. "Well, I appreciate the concern, but I think it's okay." she pulled her gloves off, carefully feeling the small cut on her scalp. "Yeah, not bad, it'll scab up and heal."

Knock Out tipped his head to the side. "Humans have self repair protocols?"

"I guess, it's natural though, not a protocol. You guys work like that?"

"Yes, we can initiate it if we have to, but if it's overly bad we go into stasis while our body attempts to repair itself." he gestured to himself with one hand.

"Stasis?" she arched a brow.

"Like, a standby mode. We use it to rest or sleep as you say, that sort of stasis we can wake from on our own, but if stasis is induced or forced it sometimes takes outside action to rouse us, like your human coma."

"So, if you can repair yourselves, why do you need doctors?"

He rolled his optics, as if she had asked something absurd. "Because repair can take a long time, and if it's a bad enough injury, it may not be able to fix itself at all."

"So it's like the doctors here, while we can heal ourselves to some extent, they can work faster and better." she nodded a little, turning to examine the engine of the car she'd been working on.

"Precisely, that is why I was put among the Decepticon ranks, field medics were in short supply during the war." he leaned forwards a tad, watching her intently.

"Well, that sounds noble, the desire to help others." her voice was muffled a bit, as she had ducked back underneath the hood.

He blinked at her words. Never had he considered himself or his actions noble, and certainly none of the Decepticons regarded him as such a mech.

A clang and curse from Diana drew his attention back to her as she pulled herself from under the hood.

"It's too corroded, can't get it off." she sighed, setting her hands on her hips and scowling at the vehicle. "I need to get that lift fixed, so I can get underneath."

Knock Out glanced about, noticing the lift she'd mentioned in the center bay. "What's the matter with it."

"I think the hydraulics are shot." she stepped around him and walked over to the lift, tightening the knot of her coveralls as she walked as she had only slipped into the legs, tying the sleeves about her waist.

"Hydraulics?" he hummed thoughtfully, following her and kneeling down again once she'd stopped. "I could fix that."

"Is there anything you can't fix?" she smirked, turning her azure gaze on him.

"If there is, I'm not aware of it." he grinned, nudging her gently with his elbow. "Aside from humans."

"Look who's not afraid to touch the squishy anymore!" she laughed, turning to face him.

"Eh, you're not so bad." he shrugged, looking away to avoid her gaze. He took to inspecting the lift, frowning a little. "All of your human tech is so slagging tiny though, it's difficult, I'd hate to see Breakdown trying to do this." he couldn't help but laugh at the idea of his partner, and probably last friend, trying to tinker with the tiny mechanics.

"Who's that?"

"He's, a very old friend, my partner." Knock Out glanced over to her, mouth working as he tried to find the right words. "He's my assistant, no where near as refined or skilled as I am, all he knows he learned from me."

"Friends sounded like a rarity when we talked yesterday, you must be glad you have him around." she smiled, reaching one of her feet forwards to nudge her boot against his leg.

"True, sometimes I think he's the only one who really, gets me, and he's the only one who covers for me when I sneak off the ship." he lifted his right hand, moving his index and middle fingers to mimic a pair of legs walking.

Diana chuckled. "I'll have to thank him."

Knock Out tensed a little, looking to her. "Meeting him, or any other bot would be, unwise."

"Why is that?" she arched a brow, stepping away from him and moving for the open garage doors.

"Well, let's start with the fact that the Decepticons despise humans." he rose from his kneeling position, following her out into the sunshine.

"Well isn't that too bad for them, this planet's covered with us." she grinned, undoing the knotted sleeves around her waist and wriggling out of her coveralls, a rather interesting task given she still had her work boots on.

"Well, if Megatron has his way." the Medic trailed off, deciding it better not to continue.

Diana didn't need him to finish, having a pretty good idea as to what Megatron's way was. "Well if he comes near me, I'll punch him in the throat."

Knock Out laughed at that, trying to imagine her taking on the monstrous leader. "That would be a bad idea."

"Hey, I'm a big tough girl, I can handle some robot." she tossed her coveralls back inside the shop, not caring where they landed.

"Right, how could I have missed that. Little human, seething with rage, it's terrifying, really." he lifted both his hands, feigning fear.

"You think you're so funny." she laughed, advancing on him with her hands raised, fingers curled to resemble claws. "Just wait until I get my hands on that paint job!"

"Primus forbid!" Knock Out wailed, falling over on his backside and squirming away from her, a laugh in his voice despite his mocked horror.

And then, to his surprise, she climbed his leg and scrambled over him until she was standing on his chest, staring down at him. "You're mine now bolt breath!" She still had her hands raised menacingly, a grin on her lips.

Knock Out was quiet, his face seemingly frozen as he just studied her. He finally spoke, his voice low, soft as velvet. "In that case, I surrender to you, my lady."

It was Diana's turn to freeze, her hands slowly lowering until they hung at her sides, her eyes scrutinizing his face.

He didn't miss the shade of pink that her cheeks flushed.

She eventually found her voice, clearing her throat and setting her hands on her hips. "In that case, I declare you my slave, for as long as I see fit."

Knock Out gave a soft hum, a rumble rising with it. "Mmm, and what would you have me do?"

"The obvious, we're going for a drive." she grinned, still trying to hide the blush on her face.

"If that is your desire." he sat up carefully, smirking as she squeaked at the movement. He moved his left hand to his chest so she could step into his palm and then stood slowly, being ever so careful with the creature in his hand.

Diana was a little surprised by his move, deciding that sitting on her heels was most comfortable. "This is, fun." she said carefully, a smile rising to her face as she glanced up to him, elated to see he wore a similar smile.

"And where does my lady desire to go?" he lifted his hand until she was even with his face.

"Hmm." she touched a finger to her lips, putting on a show of pondering. "I think we shall go to the mountains Jeeves."

"Jeeves?" he arched a brow at her.

"It's a joke, movies and stuff always call butlers and chauffeurs Jeeves, so it's just a funny thing to say." she smiled, studying his face again. "You know, you have really pretty eyes."

He went still at her words, blinking twice. "My optics?"

"Yes, I like them."

He'd never really considered his eyes attractive before, granted they were unique when compared to most other bots in the manner that they were more similar to a humans; a pupil, iris and a sclera, instead of the engulfing glow of the other Decepticons. "Well, I like yours too." he finally said.

Diana smiled, the crimson hue returning to her face. "Thanks."

"Really, they're surprisingly, vivid, when compared to other humans. As far as I can tell, very few humans have such brilliantly colored eyes, at least naturally."

"You looked that up?"

"Yes." he shrugged gently, a tad embarrassed that he'd just confessed to researching something solely about her.

If it bothered her, she didn't say anything, only wriggled in his hand. "Well, are we going to go or not?"

He gave her a wicked grin. "Hold onto your aft." With a laugh he tossed her in the air, leaping and shifting about her so she was seated in the passenger seat when he finished the process.

She had made no sound during it and only sat wide eyed in her seat, worrying him for a moment that'd he'd hurt her. He was about to speak when she laughed, tossing her hands above her head.

"That was awesome!" she squealed, cheering ecstatically.

Relief surged through him and he laughed, shifting gears and tearing out of the gravel lot, making sure to shut the doors to the shop as they departed. "So, the mountains, where are we headed?"

"It's a surprise." she winked.

* * *

Diana wouldn't tell him where they were headed, all he knew was that it was a much longer trip than their one yesterday. When she finally told him they were close, the sun was beginning to set.

"Now, it's a bit of a hike. we just need to be sure no one's around, but most hikers and tourists are in the more populated areas." she directed him to the side of the road, nothing but trees and rock on either side, giving way to mountains beyond that.

"I don't see anyone." he said, opening his door for her so she could skip out into the dusk.

"Alright, I think we'll be okay once we get to the peak." she pointed to one of the mountain tops.

"You want to go up there?" he balked, shifting into his regular mode and following her point with his optics. "It's a mountain! And you, you're so fragile."

"I hike a lot mister, I can handle it." she headed off into the woods, vanishing from sight with a few steps.

Knock Out sighed with frustration, following her into the trees. "If I get scratched."

"Yeah yeah, you'll smush me." her voice called from somewhere ahead. "Hurry up slow poke."

He scoffed, speeding his pace until he met her where the ground began to incline, leading up the mountain.

Diana took a few steps up the rock face, the loose stones shifting under her boots and sending her back down with a soft grunt.

"See, you're going to fall." Knock Out bent, without thinking really, and plucked her up in his right hand.

"I won't fall." she pouted, scowling up at him.

Knock Out shook his head, continuing upwards. While he too slid occasionally, he had a much easier time moving forwards and was able to move quicker than they would have been able to with Diana on the ground. "Why didn't you pick a more suitable path?"

"Because all the easy paths are crawling with people, and seeing you would cause a fuss." she had shifted in his hand so she was facing forwards, her legs dangling over the edge of his hand, her own hands on his thumb for stability.

"Fair enough." he agreed, smirking as they reached the plateau of the mountain top. "Alright, now what."

"Just sit and watch." she smiled, turning to look at him.

Knock Out rolled his optics but obeyed nevertheless, lowering himself to sit with her still in his grasp. He had found enough of a hill that he could lean back against it, reclining slightly. The mech rested his hand against his chest, Diana not bothering to move from his palm. "What are we waiting for?" A flicker of light caught his eye and he glanced across the mountain range before them, his voice catching in his throat at the sight.

The sun had almost slipped below the horizon, bathing the peaks in a palette of golds, pinks, oranges and reds. Enough of the mountains had snow on them that they glistened in the light, reflecting the colors amongst one another.

"I thought you'd like it." Diana said softly, sitting with her legs crossed.

He still couldn't find his voice, gaze transfixed on the glimmering spectacle before him. "It's, like Crystal City." he murmured.

"Probably not exactly like it, but, the best I could do." she smiled up at him, almost blinking in surprise to see he was staring at her, his expression stunned. "You okay?"

"No one has, ever done something like this for me." he spoke quietly, lifting her so she was near his face, eye to eye. "Thank you, Diana."

She smiled again, reaching a hand out to rest on his face. "Anytime Knocks."

He smiled as well, relishing the warmth of the late sun and her touch, logging away the sensation in his memory.

* * *

When the sun had finally set and the stars came out, they had taken some time to stargaze, Knock Out trying to explain where Cybertron was located when viewed from Earth. Only when Diana started shivering in the cold did they decide to head back down, Knock Out quickly shifting into the form of the Aston Martin upon reaching the road and heating himself so he could warm her.

"It must be so strange, to look up and see a completely foreign sky." Diana had taken her boots off, sitting with her legs curled underneath herself in her seat.

"Honestly, I'd never really studied the sky before, too busy with other things."

"Fair enough." she smiled, closing her eyes and sighing contentedly, her pale face illuminated only by the lights on his dashboard. She couldn't explain why she was so at ease with him, logic dictated she should be putting as much distance between herself and an alien robot, a bad team alien robot, as possible. But instead she found herself smiling whenever she thought of him, a warmth settling in her chest. She blinked her eyes open, did she have a crush on a car?

"Frag." Knock Out's disturbed voice jerked her back to reality.

"What is it?"

"Company." he growled, shifting his mirrors to focus on the two sets of lights behind him. "Oh this is so not good."

Diana blinked in confusion as he accelerated, faster than he ever had when with her. "What's wrong?"

"Just sit tight, alright? Stay down." his tone was serious, a hint of venom to his words.

She nodded, quickly pulling her boots back on and hastily lacing them up before glancing behind them at the lights. "One bike, one car."

"Arcee and Bumblebee, just my luck." he took a hard right, tearing off of the road and into the lower peaks of the mountains that gave way to the red of the desert.

"Who are they?"

"Autobots."

The pair of vehicles on their tail followed, both coming up quickly.

A flurry of curse words left Knock Out as the path he'd been tearing along ended, nothing but canyon walls before them. He skidded to a halt, whipping a one eighty to face the two Autobots. "Get out, hide, run when you're clear." he ordered, opening the door and all but shoving her out.

"I'm not going to run away!" she protested, getting out but staying beside him, almost shouting in a panic as she watched him transform.

"Just fragging do it Diana!" he looked down at her, a glare on his face.

She finally gave a slight nod, turning and running to some nearby boulders, ducking behind them and hiding.

The two Autobots slid to a halt a few meters away from Knock Out, both shifting into their own bipedal forms, weapons glowing bright blue and ready, trained on Knock Out.

"Knock Out." the smaller of the two, and obviously female, spat.

"Arcee." he glanced to the equally angry looking yellow bot. "Bumblebee, to what do I owe the pleasure?

Diana peered out from the rocks, watching the trio carefully.

"What are you doing out here 'con?" Arcee growled, she and her comrade holding their ground despite Knockout not moving.

"Just out for a little drive, lovely night for that sort of thing." Knock Out hummed, taking on his usual suave persona.

"You're out racing again, with the humans." the blue bot said, glaring. "We told you to stay away from them."

"Oh puh-lease, I'm beyond petty activities like that." the red bot scoffed, waving a hand about.

Diana had to shoot him a look, what a liar.

"I don't buy it." Arcee said, the yellow bot giving a soft beep, which seemed to be an agreement.

"Well, you have no proof I'm lying, so what are you going to do hmm?" Knock Out tilted his head to the side, watching the pair.

Without a word the female dashed forwards, her hands shifting from cannons into her regular hands, though two blades adorned her forearms. The yellow bot ran after her, leveling his own weapons at Knock Out, firing a round that slammed into the Medics chest to send him falling backwards.

"Don't!" Diana's voice rang out, the blonde darting from behind the rocks to jump between the Autobots and Knock Out.

"Diana!" Knock Out shouted, his optics wide as he watched the little female step before him, her hands flung out to the sides, protecting him.

Both of the Autobots skidded to a halt, their own optics as wide as Knock Out's.

"A human?!" Arcee seemed stunned. "What are you doing with a human Knock Out!"

Bumblebee gave a series of chirps, the sounds equally furious.

"He was taking me home." Diana spoke before Knock Out could, the Decepticon still lying on his backside, arms propping himself up. "Please don't hurt him."

The blue bot stalked forwards. "Look human, you have no idea what he's done, what he's capable of doing!"

Diana frowned, holding her ground, glaring right back at the female.

Arcee growled, shaking her head. "I can't leave you with him, he's dangerous! I need to get you out of here, now." she glanced to Bumblebee. "Call Optimus."

Knock Out leapt up at her words, dashing forwards to gather Diana in his hands. "No!"

The Autobots raised their weapons again, Arcee yelling at him. "Put her down Knock Out!"

The Medic back pedaled furiously, speaking to someone not present. "Anytime Breakdown."

A flash of green appeared behind he and Diana. The bot turned, running into the portal, Arcee screaming after him as the pair vanished in the emerald light.

Diana closed her eyes as the light swept over them, the sensation of vertigo overtaking her. She opened her eyes when the feeling passed and the light faded, trying to make sense of her surroundings. "Where, are we?"

Knock Out was breathing heavily, both hands keeping her tucked against his chest. "The Nemesis."


	7. In Deep

Diana was gawking up at Knock Out. "The Nemesis as in the warship of the Decepticons."

"Yes." Knock Out still had her in his left hand, his right cupped about her as if to protect her.

"And Decepticons as in, they want to destroy all humans, Knocks, _I'm_ a human!"

The crimson bot nodded slowly, his voice heavy. "I know."

"What in the name of The Spark have you brought here?" a low voice made Diana and Knock Out freeze, both slowly glancing to the left side of the room, gaze falling on Breakdown.

"Breakdown, I can explain-" Knock Out began.

"You've abducted another human? And brought it onto the ship?" the hulking blue mech stepped away from the console, moving towards Knockout.

Diana had to frown up at Knock Out. "You've kidnapped someone?"

"Erm, long story, later." the Medic said quickly, returning his attention to his partner. "It's complicated alright, I just need to get her out of here so put in new bridge coordinates and - "

The sound of doors opening caused all three to go still, Knock Out quickly tucking his left hand behind his back, hiding Diana from the view of the two Vehicons who strode into the room. For a moment the four bots just looked from one to the other.

"We shall resume our post Breakdown." one finally spoke, both of the Vehicons moving around them to the consoles in the room.

Knock Out kept his face to them, side stepping to keep Diana from their view. "Yes, good." He shot a look to Breakdown, backing out the door.

The blue Decepticon still wore a look of half confusion, half anger on his face, but followed after the Medic nevertheless. Only when the door to the ground bridge closed behind them did he speak. "You'd better start talking."

"Shush!" Knock Out hissed, glancing about, scrutinizing the hallways. "To the med bay." with that he turned down the hall, walking at a brisk pace, keeping his hands behind his back with Diana tucked into his palms.

Breakdown shook his head, following after Knock Out again.

The Medic kept the fast pace, letting out a sigh of relief and slowing only when they were sealed inside the safety of the med bay, his med bay. The only place on the ship he knew he could have his privacy. He stepped to one of the consoles in the room, setting Diana atop it and inspecting her. "You're alright?"

She frowned up at him, reaching up and out to trace her fingers along his chest. "Forget about me, you got shot!" her frown faltered as her fingers grazed the scorch marks on his chest, worry flickering over her face instead. "Are you alright?"

Knock Out smiled, nodding gently. "I'm fine."

"Ahem." Breakdown stood on the far side of the bay, glaring at Knock Out. "That explanation?"

"It's, look it's, complicated." Knock Out turned sideways. "A long story."

"I have time." Breakdown glowered, his angry gaze fixed on Diana.

Knock Out sighed, knowing the tone in his partner's voice all too well, he wouldn't be waltzing his way out of this one. "We, bumped into each other."

Diana scoffed from her perch on the console, arms folding over her chest as she rolled her eyes. "Literally." she mumbled.

"And I kind of, broke her bike so, I've been, repairing it." Knock Out lifted both his hands before his chest, tenting his fingers and pressing them together nervously.

Breakdown seemed to consider his explanation a moment before speaking, disgust in his voice. "Of all the bots, you, _you_, made friends with a human, and then you brought it onto the ship!"

"Alright alright!" Knock Out sighed, rolling his eyes and letting his hands fall. "Granted, coming to the ship probably wasn't my best idea, but I had no other way out!"

The blue mech stepped forwards on one foot, hostility in the pose. "Dispose of it." he pointed towards the bay doors.

Knock Out growled, stalking up to Breakdown and lifting a finger to his face. "I won't do that, I'll figure something out." his voice was low, feral.

"It is a human, they are nothing but vermin, a blight on -" Breakdown's optics went wide, something having flown across the room to impact the side of his face with a metallic clang.

A spanner sitting on the floor proved to be the culprit, both bots glancing to the other side of the room at Diana, who had hopped over to the table Knock Out kept most of his tools on. She had her hands clenched into fists, rage in her eyes. "Don't call someone a blight if they're in the same room as you you idiot." she glanced back to the tools, looking for something else that would be small enough for her to hurl at the blue bot.

"You, you dare to -" Breakdown was interrupted again, this time by Knock Out's laughter.

"That's my girl." the red mech laughed, walking back to Diana and grinning at her.

Diana scoffed, setting her hands on her hips. "Don't you know the phrase, if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all?" she stuck her tongue out at Breakdown, the bot blinking out of confusion.

Knock Out arched a brow. "Since when do you follow that rule? We insult each other all the time."

"Ah ah." she lifted a finger, shushing him. "That's different."

"How is it different?" he asked, still watching her, amusement in his voice.

"Because you are an insufferable asshole, that's fact. And I? I am a controlling bitch, also fact." she set a hand on her chest, speaking as if she were royalty addressing her citizens.

Knock Out had to laugh again, reaching a finger out to poke at her stomach. "Moronic skinjob."

"Egotistical asshat." she retorted, a wicked grin on her lips.

Breakdown was quiet a moment, looking between the two before a grin finally formed on his lips. "It sounds just like you, I see why you like it."

"I'm not an it, I'm a her." Diana huffed.

An unsure rumble was Breakdown's only response.

Knock Out sighed, laying one arm over his abdomen and resting the elbow of his free arm on it so he could tap the fingers of said arm against his chin. "I need to figure out how to get you out of here now."

"Don't worry about me, you need fixing." Diana spoke, pointing to his scarred chest.

"That can be dealt with later, but for now -" he began.

"Knock Out, I am not going anywhere until you deal with that." she rose onto her tiptoes, jabbing a finger against his arm.

Breakdown's laugh echoed about the bay, the mech finally stepping over until he stood beside Knock Out, stooping a little to inspect Diana. "You're not so bad, what's your designation fleshling?"

"Diana, and I know you're Breakdown. As offensive as you are, I hear I owe you a thanks." she smirked up at him.

"Oh?" Breakdown arched a brow.

"Yes, as I understand, you're the reason Knocks can sneak off this rust bucket, thus, thank you." she dipped her head in a polite bow.

"Mmm, I do more than that." he stood up straight, elbowing Knock Out. "This glitch would've died long ago if not for me, I keep his aft alive."

"What?" Knock Out shoved the mech away. "Who saved who's aft by soldering their legs back on hmm? And then taught said mech how to repair bots instead of just smashing things?"

Breakdown grinned, shrugging slightly. "I'm going to go, make sure Starscream isn't lurking around." he turned and left without another word, leaving Diana and Knock Out in silence.

"He seems nice." she chirped, making her way to the console he'd placed her on initially and peering up at the screen atop it.

"Oh you have no idea." Knock Out chuckled, glancing down to inspect his chest.

"Are you really okay?" her quiet question drew his eyes back up.

He gave her a soft smile, stepping close and bending forwards until she was level with his eyes. "I'm fine, I promise." He brought his right hand behind her, stroking a gentle finger down and along her back.

Diana smiled, her cheeks tinting pink at his touch.

He smiled again, rising and reaching for his tools. "Just a little bit of reshaping, cleaning, redo the finish and I'll be good to go."

"Do you want help?" Diana asked, watching as he readied his selected devices.

"I'm not sure you could handle my stuff." he lifted one tool for her to examine, the thing nearly as big as her.

"Oh, well then I'll supervise, lord knows you can't do anything right unsupervised."

"Hah hah." he replied, giving her a quick grin before setting to work.

* * *

"There, satisfied?" Knock Out gave a little spin, showing his repaired self to Diana.

"Hmm." she was sitting cross legged on the console, eyes looking over his frame. "I'd say the mouth is a little big, give me a welder and I can fix that no problem."

"Bring it, I dare you." he stepped close to her, leaning low and smirking.

She couldn't help the blush that returned to her face whenever he was near.

"Now, to get you home." the Medic straightened, worry on his once again face as he thought. "Soundwave sees and hears everything on here, we need to be very careful."

"Well, I'm little, maybe I could sneak out?"

Knock Out jerked his gaze back to her. "Absolutely not, I'm not letting you walk about alone." Without warning, he went still, cocking his head to the side as if listening to something. "Scrap! Need to hide you!"

He reached for Diana, who hopped into his hand without hesitation as he dashed to the far side of the med bay, kneeling to set her on the ground.

"Hide under there, crawl space." he rose and turned back to his console, not looking back and taking to inspecting the readouts on the screens in the room.

Diana had just jumped down into the space when the doors to the bay opened, two bots she didn't recognize walking in with Breakdown at their heels.

"Knock Out, where have you been." the tallest of the mechs spoke, his voice echoing with brimstone and rage.

"Lord Megatron." Knock Out turned away from the console he had pretended to be studying. "I was merely out to, stretch my legs as it were." He wore the same grin he had when he first met Diana, smug and confident. "Was I missed?"

"You are not to leave without the explicit consent of myself - " the second bot, tall and thin, began to speak but faltered as Megatron glared at him. "- and Lord Megatron, eh heh..."

Megatron growled, irritation in his voice. "Shut up Starscream." he turned his violet gaze back to Knockout, who still wore an amused grin. "If the Doctor needs his time to think, to function at his best, so be it." He stepped closer to Knock Out. "But if I find out you've been causing trouble with the Autobots again." he snarled, raising a hand and clenching it into a fist.

"Of course Lord Megatron, merely a coincidence, it shan't happen again." Knock Out nodded, barely batting an optic at the Decepticon Leader's show of anger.

Megatron grumbled, turning to stalk out, Starscream following.

The second the door closed behind the pair Knock Out scoffed. "Bucket head."

"Hey, get your own insult." Diana spoke, hopping and reaching for the ledge to pull herself up and out of the lower space she'd been hiding in.

"Don't tell me what to do fleshy." Knock Out smirked to her, dropping to a knee when she approached him and gathering her in his hand again. "Thanks for the heads up Breakdown."

The blue bot nodded. "Have a plan yet?"

"All we can do is try for the ground bridge." Knock Out said softly, looking to Diana.

Breakdown nodded with a soft rumble of understanding. "I talked the two out of their post before, I think I could get you a few seconds, anything more and Soundwave may pick up on it."

"We'll just have to try." Knock Out said, shaking his head. "So, ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Diana said, smiling at both mechs.

Knock Out lifted her, setting his hand against his shoulder. "Sit there, keep low, you shouldn't be seen."

She nodded, carefully climbing onto the space between his neck and shoulders. "Drop me and I'll kick your ass."

Breakdown laughed, turning for the door once she was settled. "Just like you." he grinned at Knock Out.

Once the stepped into the halls of the Nemesis again, both mechs went rigid, on alert as they made their way through the ship.

Diana did as she was told, keeping quiet, but watching everything. She mapped each turn they made, trying to imagine the halls in her mind. This place was huge.

Eventually they came upon the doors to the bridge, Breakdown turning to glance at the pair. "Give me a moment."

Knock Out nodded, leaning against the wall, trying to appear nonchalant.

Breakdown stepped into the room, exchanging soft words with the two bots inside. Seconds later the two 'cons walked out, not bothering to look to Knock Out as he slipped inside the room.

"Gotta hurry." Knock Out said, slipping to the console and typing in a series of words with symbols Diana couldn't understand, Cybertronian she guessed.

Once he had finished typing Breakdown reached for a lever, pulling it downwards and engaging the bridge, it's glow engulfing the room in green light.

"Just walk through, it will take you right to your shop." Knock Out lifted his hand to her so she could step down into his palm.

"You're not coming?" she gave him a worried look as he lowered her to the ground.

"That would be unwise." he glanced to the doorway then back to her. "Go."

Diana hesitated a moment, keeping her eyes on his optics. She finally nodded, placing a hand against his leg as a goodbye. She looked to Breakdown before stepping into the bridge. "Thanks, I owe you one tinny." With a smirk she stepped into the light, her form fading until vanishing altogether.

Knock Out rose, facing the bridge, standing quietly as Breakdown shut it down.

"You're really in deep this time." Breakdown murmured, slapping a hand on the Medic's back to break him from his trance.

"You have no idea."

* * *

***happy squees* New episode of TFP = me happy... new episode of TFP with a Knockout appearance = me fangirl bouncing in my seat! :D**

**So I ah, kind of had a theme in mind while writing this, to set a mood for them arriving and getting to the med bay ^_^' If you'd care to hear it, it is: ****Aralakh Company - from Mass Effect Three****. (It's a gooder!)**


	8. Always

As promised, the ground bridge had delivered Diana to her home, to her front door to be exact.

She had turned on her heel upon stepping out of the bridge, staring after the mass of swirling green as it winked out of existence. She suddenly felt very alone and found herself wishing it would reappear, Knock Out sauntering out of it with a grin on his face and a quip on his tongue.

She finally found the will to break her gaze from the spot the portal had been, turning to the smaller front door of her shop, taking the spare key from it's hiding spot and letting herself into the garage.

Tossing the key to a nearby table she made her way up to her loft, halting at the top of the stairs, a vacant look on her face. Was he going to be okay? What was going on now that she had left? Had someone found out she'd been there?

A pang of guilt hit her and she trembled a tad, if Knock Out were to be hurt, punished, because of her. She shook her head, glancing to the clock on her night stand. The numbers glowed four in the morning, no wonder she was tired, especially now that her adrenaline had faded.

She undressed, climbing into her bed in only her undies and a fresh tank top. "Knock Out, you'd better be safe."

* * *

Two days had passed with no word from Knock Out, and Diana grew more and more worried. She had expected him to return the next day, let himself in and meander up to her with that warm smile.

An ache settled in her chest as she leaned on the truck she had been working on, or was supposed to be working on. She'd been unable to focus and instead found herself zoning out while staring into the engine of the vehicle.

"Stupid." she hissed, slamming the hood down and throwing her wrench aside, stalking to her bathroom.

She nearly tore her clothing off, rage and frustration only worsening when she realized she couldn't get her jeans off due to her steel toed work boots. She cursed at the boots, kicking her feet about, one boot flying from her foot into the corner of her bathroom. "Just fucking get off my foot!" She flailed her legs again, her other boot slipping off and colliding with her bathroom mirror, sending a hail of shattered glass to the floor.

"God damn it." she mumbled. A sob rose in her throat as she knelt, now naked, to pick up the bits of glass. Tears welled in her eyes, making her vision blur as she tried to gather the shards. A flurry of curses left her trembling lips as she cut herself repeatedly on the bits of mirror. She gave up with another sob, rising and turning the shower on, not caring what setting it was on.

She leaned her head forwards, hitting her forehead against the tiled wall. "Where are you." She turned her back to the corner of the shower, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor, the water raining down on her. She closed her eyes, pulling her legs to her chest and hugging them tightly, bowing her head to her bloody knees and crying against them.

The sound of her garage door opening caused a pause in her sobbing, the mechanic lifting her head slightly, blonde hair plastered to the sides of her face.

There were heavy, but tentative, footsteps. A moment later her shower curtains were pulled back, Knock Out standing in her garage, a smile on his face. "There you are." his voice fell and he gaped at the sight of her, huddled in the corner of her shower, hands and knees bleeding. "Diana, what happened?"

"Mirror broke." she said quietly, her face frozen, not believing he was really there.

"Come here." he reached his left hand to her, offering his index finger to her to help her stand.

Diana accepted the hand up, not caring she was wet and naked. "I, I thought you were." her voice cracked as she began to cry again, throwing her arms around his thumb and holding tight.

"No no no, I'm fine, perfectly fine." Knock Out carefully guided her into his hand, pulling her from the shower and cradling her against his chest, concern shimmering in his optics. "I'm so sorry, I wanted to come, to talk to you somehow, but I couldn't get away until now."

She didn't reply, only sobbed against his hand, shivering from the cold of her shower.

Knock Out frowned, looking about her loft and stepping towards her bed, pulling the comforter from it so he could ever so carefully drape it about her shoulders. "Diana, talk to me." his voice was soft, worried.

"I, I'm sorry." she sniffled, peeling herself from the embrace she held his thumb in so she could wipe at her eyes. "I don't know why I'm so, I just, broke down." she gave a small laugh, looking up to him. "I'm so happy you're here, you're okay."

He smiled, lifting her near his face. "I'm fine."

Diana nodded, closing her eyes and leaning forwards until her forehead touched his. "Don't ever do that again."

A soft mumble was his only reply as he just held her, his own eyes closing, enjoying the contact between them.

She wasn't sure how long they sat like that, but she had to giggle. "You know, I'm still naked."

Knock Out blinked, glancing to her. "Ah, I guess you are, I'm sorry."

Diana smirked, hugging her blanket about herself. "I forgive you." She looked to her cuts, sighing. "I should get cleaned up."

He nodded in response, stepping towards her loft to set her down, watching as she went to her bathroom to turn off the shower. "How did your mirror break?"

"My boot hit it." she replied, deciding to clean the glass later and heading for her bedroom so she could pull out a clean set of clothing.

"And how did that happen?" Knock Out lifted his arms, folding them and resting them on the floor of her loft so he could watch her.

"I got mad while trying to take my boots off, one went flying and hit it." was her sheepish reply as she slipped into a pair of pyjama pants and a fresh tank top.

Knock Out rolled his optics. "Rage issues." he teased.

"Not rage, worry." she walked over to him, a box of band-aids in hand.

He sighed, guilt on his face again as he spoke. "I'm sorry, I wanted to contact you, but I was worried Soundwave would catch it."

She smiled, motioning for him to move his hand so she could step into his palm. "I forgive you dumb dumb."

The Medic grinned. "Let me make it up to you?"

Diana arched a brow. "And how would you do that?"

"I created a number for myself, so you can call me should you need me."

She blinked. "You made yourself into a cell phone?"

"I'm a mech of many talents, what can I say?" he grinned. "Breakdown and I are fairly sure it can't be hacked, so it should be safe to use, even if I'm on the Nemesis."

"I, thank you." she smiled, leaning over to plant a kiss against his palm.

He nodded, smiling warmly at her. "So, does my lady wish to go for a drive?"

"Always."

* * *

**Short chapter is short... but, I needed to put a little blurb before going further in this! Yes, I do intend this story to be a romance, and yes... it will get smutty... *hides under blanket* If you no likey, no more read-ey!**


	9. Not So Different

Knock Out had come to see Diana every day that week, although some days he only poked in for an hour or so, but she didn't care about time, she was just happy he was with her, like now.

"It's too hot for this nonsense." Diana whined. She was lying in the gravel driveway of her shop, a car up on skids so she could crawl beneath it to change it's oil.

"It is the desert." Knock Out shrugged. He was sitting nearby, watching her work.

"Ugh, forget it, I'll do it tonight." she wriggled out from beneath the car, standing up and stretching to crack her back.

He smirked, watching as she linked her hands over her head and bent about to work the kinks out of her joints. "Lazy squishy."

"Oh I'm lazy?" Diana scoffed, walking over and kicking at his foot. "It's been how long and you still haven't fixed my bike."

Knock Out smirked, poking at her with a finger. "Because once I fix it my debt to you if finished, and we don't want that do we?"

She rolled her eyes, reaching for the finger he'd poked her with and running her hands along the metal of the digit. "I'd like to think it's more than a debt that keeps you around."

"Hmm, no, I can't say there's anything else that would keep me here." he teased.

"You're mean."

"I'm an asshole, get it right."

She giggled, turning to head into the garage. "I want to go swimming."

"Good for you." he replied, voice a little wary. "But I don't do swimming."

"I said I wanted to, you don't have to you baby." she climbed the stairs to her loft, shedding her work clothes and pulling a new set out of her dresser; she swapped her undies for a red bikini, also pulling out a pair of denim cutoff shorts and a green tank top. She grabbed a pair of flip flops on her way down, walking over to where Knockout still sat.

He blinked at her as she walked up. "I don't think you've ever shown so much skin." his gaze hovered over her legs.

"Well, I'm usually in work clothes, but it's hot." she murmured, pulling her long hair up into a pony tail.

"I like it." he smirked, lifting himself and flipping backwards, transforming as he moved.

"Such a show off."

"You love it." he chuckled, popping the door open for her.

* * *

They had gone to the mountain lake Diana had taken him to the day they had run errands, although this time they both walked about to the far edge of the lake, to a small hill surrounded by trees.

"We used to have picnics here." Diana smiled, rummaging about the large bag she'd brought, pulling a blanket from it and shaking it out before lying it over the grass.

"It's a nice spot." Knock Out had one hand on his hip, watching as she smoothed the blanket out.

"Mmhmm." she walked to the waters edge, one of the few spots where there was an actual sandy beach, to walk into the water a few steps. "Oh that's heaven, so nice."

"If you could rust you wouldn't be saying that." he dropped into a sitting position near her blanket, watching as she pulled her sandals off and threw them back up the beach.

"Oh it's hot enough today, you'd dry in a minute."

He only rolled his optics at her, though the moment he returned his gaze to her he found himself gawking.

She had taken hold of the bottom of her tank top, lifting it up and over her head to toss it next to her flip flops. Her thumbs hooked into her shorts next, hips wiggling as she squirmed out of the cut offs. She tossed those up the beach as well, her eyes meeting his.

"Whoa." was all he could manage.

Diana felt a blush on her cheeks. "Shut up."

Knock Out chuckled. "No no, it's not a bad thing, not a bad thing at all." He leaned sideways, reclining on his left side, his left arm propping his head up. "Cybertronian or not, curves are curves." he purred. "I think that attraction is programmed deep no matter the species."

She shook her head, turning away with a grin and walking into the lake until it was deep enough for her to dive under the water. She reappeared on the surface a few feet away, sighing happily as she wiped the water from her face. "Much better."

"For the record, red looks good on you." Knock Out called from his spot, humor in his voice.

She laughed, diving under the water again.

She didn't swim for too long, only about ten minutes, before she wandered back to the shore. She tugged her hair from it's pony tail, the water having made her hair heavy.

"I understand the fascination your males have with swimsuits now." he grinned, his gaze never leaving her as she made her way to the blanket, flopping down on her backside.

"Well, I rarely go swimming so, don't get used to it." she smiled, stretching out on her back so her head was near his chest, feet pointing towards the lake.

"Hmm, but maybe I like it?" he reached a finger down, trailing it from her feet to belly.

"I'd say tough luck for you." she giggled, squirming a little under his touch. "That tickles."

He smiled at her, watching as she closed her eyes, enjoying the summer sun.

"So, I have a question." he spoke softly, almost shyly.

Diana opened one eye, watching him curiously.

"Why is there so much, intimate content floating about your internet?" he glanced down to her, his head still resting in his left hand.

"Intimate content?"

"You call it pornography."

A laugh bubbled from her. "Oh, well, I guess it's a human thing, don't you guys have porn?"

"Eh, yes and no, interface isn't as taboo as your species makes it out to be, but we don't have mountains of information on it on our data net."

She closed her eyes again, an amused smirk on her lips. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious."

Diana blinked, looking up to him again. "About what?"

"How you would pleasure yourself." his voice was low, smooth as velvet.

She stared at him a moment, unsure of what to say. Before her brain could process it, she had spoken. "Do you want to see?"

He watched her a moment, a devious grin on his lips. "I would." He touched the index finger of his right hand to her stomach again, tapping gently.

Diana felt her cheeks warm again, but she wasn't exactly embarrassed, an odd wave of excitement washed over her. "Okay." she said quietly, lifting her hips so she could slip out of her bikini bottoms.

Knock Out had shifted his hand as she moved, the appendage sitting next to her, almost cradling her. He watched with great interest as she shed her swimsuit until she was naked.

"If you laugh, I'll beat you down." she gave him a small smirk.

"I wouldn't dream of it." he hummed.

She seemed to accept that and closed her eyes, letting her hands wander her body, now dry from the sun. "I've never really, done this in front of someone."

"Haven't you had intercourse before?"

"Of course I have, I'm twenty six and a total babe, but I mean, this is different, okay?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, it's alright." she looked to him, smiling. "I want to."

He returned the smile, warm and tender.

She re-closed her eyes, inhaling softly as her left hand delved between her legs, carefully exploring herself. Her right hand wandered out, finding one of Knock Out's fingers and taking hold of it.

His spark hummed happily at the contact, proving his earlier statement true, same species or not, such attraction was programmed deeply. He kept his gaze on her, watching as her hand worked, her legs spreading wider to allow herself easier access to her most tender areas. She gave a soft gasp and twitched, her hand holding tight to his finger, maybe they weren't so different after all.

A strangled mewl escaped her as she sped up her ministrations, her face crinkled in focus. She would twitch occasionally, her hips lifting and rolling in response to her actions between her legs.

Knock Out was entranced, still as could be as he watched her, oh how he wanted to touch her... to be the cause of her moaning and spasming.

Her head tipped back and a murmured word left her lips, hidden amongst her gasps. "Knock Out."

He blinked at her use of his name, watching as she gave one final shudder before her body arched up and back, a guttural cry echoing about the small clearing as her hand clutched his fingertip like a lifeline.

A few moments passed and her convulsing subsided, her body going limp as she caught her breath, panting softly. Her eyes fluttered open, heavy lashes dusting her flushed cheeks. "Well?" she asked quietly.

"Mmm, better than I imagined." he murmured, watching as she rolled onto her side and scooted back until her backside was curved against the palm of his hand.

"I'm glad." she sighed, closing her eyes, content.

They lay in silence for sometime, neither caring to move, not noticing that the sun had begun to dip low in the sky. Eventually Diana rose, touching a quick kiss to his cheek before dressing herself. The pair made their way back to the road, Knockout easily shifting into his alternate form for her.

"You know, I think I like swimming." he said.

Diana laughed, sitting sideways in the passenger seat, her feet tucked up and under her legs. "You didn't even go swimming you twit."

"Doesn't matter."

She closed her eyes, chuckling softly as she nuzzled into the warmth of the seat. "Twit."

He drove silently the rest of the way, watching as she sank lower in her seat, having fallen asleep. That settled it, first thing he was going to do once he got back on the Nemesis? Research the holoform.

* * *

***hides* Short chapter... sorry... :3**


	10. This Should Be Fun

Diana woke with a grumble, her body protesting being scrunched into a ball all night. She opened her eyes, looking about blearily. She was still inside Knock Out, bent to her left with her arms folded over the center console so she could use them as a pillow for her head. Her legs were still curled on the seat, feet numb from being sat on all night.

She didn't know when she had fallen asleep, but Knock Out had gotten them home.

He didn't seem to be awake yet, his form dark and quiet.

"Knocks?" she sat up, reaching out to poke at the steering wheel.

"Wha?" his voice was groggy. "Too early..."

"It's five in the morning." Diana smiled, sitting up and stretching. "Why didn't you wake me when we got back?"

"I didn't want to bother you." he yawned.

"Well, thank you." she reached for the door handle, letting herself out and standing once her feet hit the cement floor. "Ugh, and you're right, it is too early." She leaned back inside him, pulling her bag out.

He transformed lazily, the process slow, ending with him stretching his arms over his head.

Diana yawned, putting one heavy foot in front of the other as she headed for her bedroom. She belly flopped onto her bed, her head tipped to the side so she could still see Knock Out. "I don't think you've ever stayed this long."

"Is that a complaint?" he smirked.

"Not at all."

The Medic grinned, reaching a hand out to her and gently sliding a finger along her back. "I'll be back later."

"I'll be waiting."

* * *

It had been late afternoon when Diana finally dragged her butt out of bed, deciding to do something productive with her day. She had finished up on one car, deciding to take it out on a test drive to see how it handled. It had run just fine, until a bang and wobble signaled a flat tire.

"Fan-fucking-tastic." the blonde sighed, stepping out of the car and walking to inspect the right rear tire. At least it was just the tire, that was easy to fix. She went to the trunk of the car, popping it open and pulling the jack and spare from the rear of the car.

She had just gotten the car lifted and the flat tire off when she heard a sound in the distance, another vehicle on the lonely road. Honestly she hadn't expected anyone else to be out on the deserted strip. She glanced to her left, squinting her eyes at the oncoming vehicle, her heart dropped as she made out the vehicle, a yellow Camaro.

"No no no." she muttered, turning her attention to the tire, hoping it wasn't who she thought it was, and if it was, hoping he wouldn't recognize her.

She kept her eyes locked on the tire, even as the car slowed and rolled to a stop behind her. A series of chirps from the car confirmed her suspicions, it was Bumblebee.

"Do you need something?" she stood slowly, turning to face the Camaro, tire iron in hand.

The bot chirped again, the sounds seeming curious.

"I, I'm sorry, I don't understand." Diana frowned a tad, looking the car over.

Bumblebee was quiet a moment, eventually transforming. He knelt forwards onto one knee, peering at her. Diana blinked as snippets from songs sang from the yellow bot. _"In need of assistance ma'am?"_

She studied him, noting the similarities and differences between him and Knock Out. "You're Bumblebee, right?"

He nodded happily, a cheerful beep emanating from him.

She couldn't help but smile at him, offering her hand. "I'm Diana."

Bumblebee extended a finger to her, touching her hand gently in the best handshake he could manage.

"Are you, why are you out here?" she gestured about the emptiness of the desert road.

_"Oh you know, the usual - on guard, protecting our borders."_

"Mmm, patrol, so this is coincidence?" she gestured between himself and her with the tire iron. "You're not following me?"

_"Heavens no!"_ he blinked at her.

"Well, given the last time we, met." she scowled, waving the iron at him. "You shot Knock Out!"

He lifted his hands, a low and sad sound coming from him.

Diana had to sigh, his expression making her feel like she'd kicked a puppy. "Before we ran, Arcee said to call Optimus, he's your leader, right?"

Bumblebee tilted his head to the side. _"Told ya 'bout that, did he?"_

"If it's not a bother, could I speak to him?" her hand was holding tightly to the iron, her knuckles going white.

The yellow bot blinked a little, eventually lifting his hand to the side of his head, beeping and chirping as he spoke through what Diana assumed was a comm system. When he had finished, he rose onto his feet. _"Hang onto your britches."_

A few seconds passed before a mass of green appeared near the pair, the Autobot's ground bridge delivering an impressive looking Peterbilt truck.

Diana watched as the truck shifted, her eyes scrutinizing the tallest bot she'd ever seen when the process was finished. "You're Optimus Prime?"

The tall mech nodded, stepping close to her. "You are Diana."

"I am." she looked between the two Autobots, unsure of where to begin.

"May I inquire?" Optimus spoke, peering down at her. "Why have you affiliated yourself with Knock Out, are you safe?"

"Of course I'm safe, he wouldn't hurt me." she replied.

The Leader considered her reply a moment. "Why is he with you?"

"Because, we're, friends I guess."

"Why did he take you through the Decepticon ground bridge?"

Diana rolled her eyes. "Oh I dunno, maybe because Bumblebee and his friend were attacking us."

Optimus glanced to Bumblebee before speaking. "Knock Out is an incredibly skilled mech, and given he has engaged in battle with us every time we've encountered him."

"Yeah, he told me about that, about you guys." he turned back to her car, crouching to set the new tire in it's place. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry about Cybertron, your home, the war."

Both Autobots blinked.

"He told you about that?" Optimus queried.

"Knocks tells me lots of things, I get why he acts the way he does whenever he meets you guys. But I don't think, he's really bad." she pursed her lips, ensuring the tire was on right before replacing the lug nuts. "He seems to regret a lot of things, and I think he only does what he has to now to keep Megatard from torching his ass."

Bumblebee snickered at her last words, amused by her name for the Decepticon Leader.

Diana glanced to the yellow bot, smirking at him. "Knock Out told me that he was a doctor before the war, not just during it. He said he didn't really have a side when the war began, but when the 'cons found out he was a medic he was kind of, recruited. I don't think he wants to fight anymore."

"Megatron is as skilled a speaker as he is a warrior, he was able to draw many to his side through words alone, it is believable that Knock Out would have been swayed by Megatrons promises." Optimus spoke, still watching Diana as she tightened the tire on her car.

"That's what I figured too." she mumbled, rising once she was satisfied with her work and turning to look to each mech. "I just, he doesn't know what he wants." she glanced to her feet.

_"Little lady, may I ask - why do you - run for the hills - when - we've been spotted?"_ Bumblebee asked, his head tipped to the side.

"He thinks you're going to take me away from him." Diana said, still looking at her boots.

"What are you to him? And what is he to you?" Optimus leaned forwards.

"I care for him, a lot." Diana lifted her eyes, looking Optimus in the optics. "I love him."

The red and blue mech was quiet a moment, eventually nodding as he straightened. "While I am understandably wary of Knock Out and his motives, I cannot tell you what to do, nor do I think you would listen to me if I were to try."

Diana smirked. "Hell no."

"I only ask two things." he continued as Diana cocked a brow at him. "One, be cautious. While you may have faith in Knock Out, do not forget those he serves, the Decepticons are not to be trusted. And two, if you should ever need assistance."

Her phone chimed from her pocket, the woman pulling it free to inspect the number that had appeared on it's screen.

"You may reach us at that number." Optimus finished.

Diana stared at her phone, a smile forming on her lips. "Thank you, I won't forget."

Optimus nodded, the ground bridge appearing behind he and Bumblebee on some silent cue. "Be careful."

Without another word he and the yellow bot turned, walking through the bridge.

Diana watched as the portal flickered and faded, leaving her alone again. She looked to her phone again, finger hovering over the delete message option. A sigh escaped her as she hit save instead, tucking the phone away again. "This should be interesting."

* * *

**Now, does she tell Knockout about this chat... or not? *evil laugh***


	11. Chasing Cars

Three days had passed and Diana still hadn't mentioned her encounter with the Autobots to Knock Out. She knew he would be far from pleased once he found out, but she was wracking her brain to find a way to tell him that wouldn't leave him furious. From what she'd been told by both Knock Out and Optimus, the Decepticons were trouble, and Diana sorely wanted Knock Out to leave them, but she knew full well he couldn't just hand over his letter of resignation. But if she could get him to come to terms with the Autobots, to trust them, to accept their help, maybe then he could be free.

A sting on her arm broke her reverie, the woman yelping and swatting at the wasp that had nipped her arm. "Son of a..." she frowned, rubbing at the bite. She was kneeling in the little flower bed she maintained in front of her shop, a past time she had fallen in love with due to her late Grandmother.

The sound of an engine drew a smile to her face, she had come to recognize the sound of Knock Out's engine long ago. Rising from her knees she turned to watch the Aston Martin approach.

"Hey Knocks." she pulled her gardening gloves off, tucking them into the pockets of her capri pants as she walked over to the Medic.

He didn't reply, nor did he transform.

"What's wrong?" Diana frowned, stopping in front of him and setting both hands on his hood.

He still made no sound.

"Knock Out?"

"Breakdown got hurt." The mech finally spoke, voice low, pained.

Diana blinked. "What? How? Is he okay?"

Knock Out sighed, rolling back a tad before shifting into his regular form. "He's alright, banged up, but alive."

"What happened?" she was sure her heart had fallen into her boots, the angst on the red mech's face enough to make her chest ache.

"A group of humans, they call themselves MECH. They captured Breakdown." he glanced to her. "They were dissecting him, while he was awake."

Diana frowned. "He was, he watched?" she shook her head. "That's disgusting!"

"They disconnected most of his sensors, he couldn't feel it, but he saw everything, they took one of his optics." he crouched down, offering his left hand for Diana to step into.

"But he's okay? You got him back?" she stepped into his hand without hesitation.

"The Autobots rescued him..." his voice was barely a whisper, as if he didn't believe his own words.

"The Autobots, the Decepticons didn't?"

"Megatron wouldn't waste resources on him." Knock Out hissed, anger flickering over his face. "Not surprising, although Starscream did try later on."

"But Breakdown's okay?" she reached a hand out to his face, doing her best to comfort him.

"He's fine." he smiled at her touch.

"Part of me, can't believe that the Decepticons wouldn't rescue one of their own, but the other part of me remembers all you've told me about them."

"I can't figure out why the Autbots would rescue him, what could they possibly gain from that?" he frowned in confusion.

"Nothing, they did it because it was the right thing to do." was her gentle reply.

Knock Out considered her words a moment, eventually sighing. "What are you doing there?" he gestured to the flower bed nearby.

"Weeding, but that can wait, want to go for a drive?"

He nodded, his voice warming a bit. "Always."

* * *

"Junk, junk, bill, junk." Diana sighed, tossing bits of her mail to the floor as she sifted through it.

"Ey, don't make a mess." Knock Out scolded, maneuvering himself and Diana out of Jasper, the pair having gone into town so Diana could pick up her mail.

"Oh it's just paper you whiner, hello." she said softly, lifting a pink envelope. "What's this."

"What?"

"It's an invitation, to a friend's wedding, guess Cindy got serious with Matt." Diana scrutinized the frilly card, her nose crinkling up.

"Who's Cindy?"

"A friend, we met in high school, went to college together. She's a good friend."

"How come I've never met her?" Knock Out hummed.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because opening with a: Hi Cindy, how are you? By the way, have you met my boyfriend? He's an alien robot that turns into a car, no biggie. is a bad idea?" she rolled her eyes, laughing.

"Boyfriend huh?" there was a grin to his voice.

"Well, I'm not sure what else to call you at this point." she smirked, leaning back and setting her bare feet on the dashboard.

"So, are you going to go?"

"I guess, I mean, of course I want to, but it's formal, I don't do formal."

"I think you'd be just fine." he replied, turning onto the little highway that led to Diana's home.

"I guess, I do have that cocktail dress in my closet." she sighed, closing her eyes. "Can we drive a little more?"

"If that is what My Lady desires." he teased, accelerating down the road.

A smile was on her lips the moment he sped up.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

Knock Out took a moment, carefully choosing his words. "You said your makers, your parents, were killed by a rogue driver."

Diana opened her eyes. "Yeah."

"And you got angry that time we discussed speeding, yet when we met, you were racing, I'm just confused."

The female pursed her lips, a slight scowl on her face. "It's, hard to explain. I was really close to my Grandma, and when she died it bothered me a lot, I started running, it made me feel better. And then when my parents died, running wasn't enough, so I started to race, or just went out on my own. I wanted to outrun everything." she glanced out the window, her voice dropping low. "But it was never fast enough, I couldn't get away."

An undignified squeak left her as Knock Out halted, his body seeming to pitch as he transformed, Diana almost bouncing from the passenger seat to his right hand, the process ending with him holding her near his face.

"I understand the feeling, and I'm sorry." he focused his gaze on her. "For everything that's happened to you."

Diana nodded, smiling faintly. "It wasn't your fault."

He sighed, leaning forwards until his head touched hers. "I want you to know, that from now on, I will protect you. I won't let anything happen to you, ever. I promise."

She watched him a moment, stunned by his words, and the absolute love that he had spoken with. "Knocks..."

His lips quirked into a grin. "I love you."

* * *

**So, the title is from the song I was listening to: ****Chasing Cars - by Snow Patrol ****:3**

**Edit: Someone pointed out to me that it was Meg's going "trololol if Breakdown was dumb enough to get caught by hoomans it was his fault so he should be punished" Which I totally knew... brain y u fail me when I writing T_T I even remember going "Daw Screamer does care a little" when he shows up at the end... DERP HERP MY BAD!**


	12. My Pleasure

"Well, how do I look?" Diana asked warily, stepping from the curtains to her bathroom.

Knock Out couldn't help but stare at her. "Beautiful."

It was the night of her friend's wedding party, and as they had gotten married on some fancy beach in a different country, they were only having a dance and dinner reception.

Diana had dug her favorite cocktail dress from her closet; a strapless red dress with it's seam just below her breasts, the rest of the dress flowed over her hips before stopping just above her knees. Her hair was naturally wavy, but she had curled it some and pinned back the top half to let it cascade down her back, she left a few strands loose to frame her face. A simple silver necklace and pair of black strappy heels completed her ensemble.

"You're not just saying that to make me feel better?" she smirked, descending the steps from her loft until she was standing near Knock Out's feet, her heels clicking on the concrete.

"I wouldn't lie about that." he smiled, nearly somersaulting backwards as he transformed into his alternate mode, opening the drivers side door for her. "Your chariot awaits."

Diana had to arch a brow as she slipped into the seat. "I can drive? What is this, a trick?"

"Well, I figured it would look odd if you were dropped off by someone, someone who then went and sat in the parking lot to wait for you, who didn't just come in with you."

"You're going to sit and wait for me?" she smiled, adjusting herself before reaching for the gear shift.

"Unless something comes up, I'll be there." He had to admit, her touch was rather pleasant and it was certainly interesting to be moving but have no control over it.

Diana knew what she was doing in the drivers seat, and she certainly knew how to handle any vehicle. This was no exception as she gracefully shifted gears, her hands light on the wheel, right hand firm yet gentle when she needed to shift. "I can't believe you're letting me drive." she giggled.

"Only you, I wouldn't trust anyone else."

"Hmm, well then, I'm flattered Mister Knock Out." she hummed, drumming her fingers along the steering wheel.

He made an odd sound at her touch, some sort of strange chortle.

Diana raised a brow, repeating the action and laughing when he responded the same way. "Knocks, are you ticklish?"

"Don't be ridiculous I -" he was interrupted by Diana sticking her fingers under the dashboard, her little digits wriggling about. "No no! Stop!"

She squealed with laughter as the pair spun out on the road, sliding to a halt in the ditch. "Oh my god, you're so ticklish!"

He grumbled something she couldn't make out.

"That's too cute." she snickered.

"Yeah yeah, laugh it up squishy."

"Oh I will definitely be remembering this."

* * *

The dance had gone well, as far as Diana could tell at least, she was never really the social type. Cindy had been elated to see her, the pair falling back into their easy friendship, chatting and giggling over silly things. It was almost like college all over again.

Except Diana was now dating an alien instead of some guy from the football team. Funny how life works out sometimes.

Diana had wandered to one of the balconies overlooking the gardens behind the hotel, an extremely fancy hotel she had to admit, she was sure the entire place was made of marble, crystal and roses. She sighed, leaning over the stone railing to peer into the parking lot, her mood sinking as she noted that the space Knock Out had been sitting in was now vacant. Another sigh escaped her as she turned, wandering back inside, halting at the top of the small marble staircase that led down to the ballroom.

The room was packed, most of the patrons swaying slowly on the floor as the lights dimmed and a sweet love song came on.

She couldn't help but smile as she caught sight of Cindy in the group of dancers, her new husband in her arms, bliss on their faces. She was happy for them, truly.

An odd bit of red in the crowd caught her attention, her eyes following the man who seemed to materialize out of the mob. She felt her heart catch in her throat as the man looked to her, a grin on his lips that she would recognize no matter the body. "Knocks?" she whispered, unmoving from her spot on the staircase.

"In the flesh, so to speak." it was his voice all right, warm and deep. He halted at the bottom of the stairs, smirking up at her.

"But, but you're..." she kept her eyes glued to him, examining every part of him. He was wearing a simple pair of black dress pants and shoes, a red button down shirt that was the same shade as her gown and a charcoal vest atop that. His hair was short and it looked as if he had pushed a hand through it while it was damp to achieve the style it was in, the color was a deep red, obviously unnatural but it certainly didn't look odd on him. Her eyes finally met his and she found herself entranced as he had chosen a deep brown for his iris color, every bit as smooth and warm as his voice.

"Fabulous right?" he smirked again, one hand tucked into the pocket of his dress pants.

"I don't understand." her eyes widened a tad, realization dawning on her. "A holoform?"

"Mmhmm." he nodded, stepping onto the staircase and offering her a hand.

She carefully made her way down the stairs, her hand moving for his. She felt a warmth rise in her chest as he took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing gently. "But I thought you couldn't." she reached the bottom of the steps, standing inches from him now, still scrutinizing this new form.

"I found a way." he murmured softly, trailing his free hand along her bare shoulder. "So soft."

Another wave of heat hit her, this time settling on her cheeks. "Why did you pick, to look like this?" she carefully set the hand that he wasn't holding against his chest, somewhat surprised that there was solid muscle beneath.

"It was attractive." he grinned. "Do you approve?"

"I do." she glanced up to him, as he stood a good few inches taller than her. "It's not you but, somehow, it is. But I don't want you to think I only want to interact with you like this! I'll always prefer the real you, okay?"

He chuckled, nodding gently. "Acknowledged." He tucked his fingers under her chin, tilting her face up toward his. "May I make a request?"

Diana had to work to regain her voice, as she was sure it had flitted away with most of her other senses. "Yes." she whispered.

"Will you teach me." he leaned closer, his lips barely brushing hers. "I haven't exactly kissed anyone before."

Diana leaned forwards, tenderly touching her lips against his, neither moving, just holding each other near. It was a new experience to say the least, for all intensive purposes it was like kissing anyone else, but there was an odd energy behind his kiss, like touching your lips to something that was humming softly. She couldn't quite distinguish the taste he held, though it was so uniquely him and made her think of the scent his interior held.

Knock Out hummed thoughtfully when the kiss was broken. "Interesting."

She had to giggle, letting her hands explore his chest and arms. "You feel so real, it's amazing."

"Thanks, I think." he grinned, moving suddenly to sweep her up and off her feet.

"What are you doing?!" she yelped, completely surprised by the sudden action, a few other patrons glancing to her as she squeaked.

"Taking you for a walk." he replied, carrying her up the stairs and out onto the balcony, stopping only when he had reached the railing to sit her atop it. "As I understood it all women dream of being swept off their feet no?"

"Well a little warning next time." she said softly, smiling as he sat next to her on the railing.

"That's no fun, I like hearing you squeak."

"I do not squeak!"

"Oh stop it Knock Out, that's so scary, don't do that, wah wah wah." he began, doing an awful impersonation of her voice.

Diana had to laugh, swatting at him. "You're an ass."

"You're a glitch." he purred, gathering her and easily setting her in his lap.

She felt a blush on her cheeks again as she settled in his lap. "Why so touchy feely?"

"You have no idea how badly I've wanted to be able to touch you like this, to really be near you." his hands were roaming her body, caressing each curve, tapping along her skin, twining in her hair.

"Well, I think I have some idea." she smiled. "Where did you move to? You aren't in the spot we parked."

"I had to move closer, it's easier to control the holoform if I'm near it, if it moves too far the connection will break and the form will fade."

"Mmm, I see." she had both her hands in his hair, still unable to believe that this was just a simple tool conjured up by his people.

He closed his eyes, sighing deeply as she played with his hair. "The sensations from this form, from you, it's indescribable."

Diana had to grin, taking a fistful of hair and tilting his head back, kissing him roughly. She felt him shudder out of surprise, both his hands linking about her waist to hold her against him. She pulled away, giggling at his reaction.

"Whoa."

"Yeah, whoa." she smirked. "So, can you dance?"

He made a face at her, his voice unimpressed. "I don't dance, I dissect things."

She rolled her eyes, slipping from his lap and taking one of his hands, tugging him back inside. "C'mon hot shot, you'll learn."

* * *

Knock Out had proven to be a quick learner, although the fact that his mind worked more like a computer than her own probably helped in that aspect. He had admitted to liking the waltz, enjoying the contact between them as he twirled her about the floor. It was during their dancing that Diana had realized the holoform was much stronger and faster than a normal human, but she supposed that was to be expected given it wasn't organic.

The music had finally faded for the night when Knock Out gathered her in his arms again, strolling out of the hall with her in his grasp, uncaring that most of the other quests were watching them with varied expressions.

Diana laughed. "No matter what we do, when I'm with you people are always watching."

"Of course, it's not everyday they see something as spectacular as us." he grinned, making his way out of the building and turning to head for the parking area. He paused, setting her back on her feet. "Hang tight." and with that his body seemed to crackle, the form turning to static as it vanished.

Diana was left blinking at the spot he had been standing, watching as his true form pulled up next to her.

He opened the passenger door for her, his holoform re-materializing near her to offer her a hand. "My lady."

She laughed. "You are such a show off, what if someone had seen that?" she took his hand, letting him guide her into... himself.

"I'd deal with it." as his door closed he dropped the holoform again, his voice coming from the interior of the Aston Martin now.

"Right, canons and blades." she smirked as he pulled out, weaving his way onto the highway.

"Something like that."

"Knocks?" she pulled her heels off her feet, pulling her knees close to her chest and hugging them, a smile on her face. "You did this just for me, didn't you."

"Perhaps."

"Thank you."

She could hear him smile as he spoke. "My lady, the pleasure is mine."

* * *

***happy giggles***


	13. Perfect Fit

It was sometime after four in the morning when Diana and Knock Out arrived home, not that she cared, the drive home seemed to float by. It was like nothing existed outside of her little world, she was happy, everything was perfect.

"Home sweet home." Knock Out announced softly, his passenger door opening and the holoform materializing nearby, offering a hand to Diana.

She had to smile as she took his hand. "You're so hot."

"Well thank you." he grinned, pulling her to her feet.

"No no, I mean temperature wise, your holoform." she laughed, flicking a finger against his nose. "You're so warm."

"Mmm, that's just the way the holoform is, energon and all."

Diana smiled, poking at his nose again. "Well if we ever move to Alaska, you can be my heater."

"Oh, so that's all I am to you? A tool? A machine? Something solely created to make your life easier?" he grinned, stepping close to her, a predatory gleam in his eyes.

"Please, when have you ever made my life easier?" she matched his grin.

"That's it squishy, you've offended me for the last time." his hands dove for her waist, tickling and prodding at her sides. "Oh ho, so I'm not the only one who's ticklish."

Diana squealed in response, breaking into a fit of giggles as she wriggled from his grip, turning to run about the shop in an attempt to evade him. "Don't!" She managed to circle around the back of his alternate mode, keeping it between her and the holoform. "You stay away from me metal face!"

The holoform of Knock Out only grinned, flickering out of existence as the Aston Martin shifted, plucking Diana from the ground as he transformed into his normal form. "So, hiding from me... behind me, not the greatest of plans." he chuckled, examining her as she pouted in his hand.

"You're a cheater."

"I don't lose."

"Odd, I seem to remember beating you." she grinned.

Knock Out rolled his optics at her. "Yeah yeah."

She smiled, tracing her fingers along the contours of his body. "So, I have a question."

"Hmm?"

"Well, you know how humans mate, so I'm just curious, how do you guys do it?" she glanced to him, her fingers still smoothing along his chest.

"Ah, well to be honest, it's not much different. Connect part a to part b." he shrugged, a look of amusement on his face. "But, I suppose there are really two forms to our couplings."

Diana glanced to him again, waiting for him to elaborate.

"While we often have many casual encounters, or temporary partners, if we are mated to someone and connected by a spark bond, it isn't something we can go back on. Once we're spark bonded, we're united forever, body and soul. There will never be another for you once you've made that connection."

She smiled. "It sounds romantic, perfect, how it should be. Too many people treat love so casually, it's a shame." she looked to her hands a moment. "Your sparks are like your hearts, right?"

"You could say that, it contains all we are, our life and essence."

"With the way you can transform, could I see yours?" she kept her gaze on her hands, unsure of what he might say.

Knock Out was silent a moment, consideration flickering in his optics before he spoke softly. "Yes."

Diana smiled, watching as he carefully settled into a sitting position, cross legged, and holding her in both his hands before his chest.

"I doubt you've ever seen anything like it so, just." he frowned a little.

"Knocks, are you nervous?" she smiled again, voice teasing. "I thought you had no shame."

"I don't, but one's spark is..." he frowned again, trying to find the right words. "Important, we only show it to those we truly trust."

Diana nodded slowly, understanding the tone in his voice. "I won't break that trust, ever."

He smiled at her, leaning forwards to carefully nuzzle his face against her. "I know."

There was a moment of quiet between the pair before Knock Out relaxed, Diana watching with curious eyes as the seemingly solid pieces of metal that made up his chest began to shift and part until his spark was revealed, glowing a gentle blue in the dark of the garage.

"It's beautiful." she murmured, hesitantly reaching a hand out. She sensation of static electricity tickled up her fingers and across her hand, making the hair on her arms stand on end. Her fingertips had just grazed the area of his chest that cased his spark when she froze, wondering if she should really be touching it. She glanced up, surprised to see that his optics were dark, off lined, a serene look on his face.

A smile washed over her own face as she looked back to his spark, ever so carefully extending a finger to touch it. She felt Knock Out shift slightly at the touch, as if he had inhaled deeply. Another glance to him proved he was still relaxed, so she gently splayed her fingers over the little bundle of energy, pushing and testing the texture with her palm.

It still caused the feeling of static, but it wasn't unpleasant by any means. She wrapped what she could of her fingers around it, squeezing lightly. She couldn't help but think of a stress ball, the way it was solid but somehow soft at the same time, moving beneath her fingers while still retaining it's form.

Knock Out trembled slightly, the faintest of rumbles rising in his throat.

Diana looked up to him. "Does it feel funny? Me touching?"

"No, it feels good..." he murmured.

She smiled, bringing her other hand to his spark as well, caressing and kneading.

He shuddered again, another soft sound escaping him.

"If I'd known this was so sensitive, I'd have asked to see earlier." she said quietly, gently scraping her nails along his spark and grinning widely as he shook, bowing his head to her with a groan. "Little squishy, able to reduce the big bad robot to a quivering mess with a few touches."

"I've never let anyone do this." he responded, his voice somewhat strained.

Diana smiled, moving her hands from his spark to his chin. "Thank you for showing me."

His optics flickered back online, focusing on her. "I, want to try something with you." his voice was low, sending shivers down Diana's back.

"Anything."

He lowered his hands to the floor, letting her step from his grasp before he changed back into his alternate mode, activating his holoform once the process was finished. "Now. you might have to play teacher again. I haven't exactly done anything like this before." he smirked, walking over to her and gathering her in his arms.

"Hmm, and whatever would that be?" she teased, giggling as he lifted her and carried her up to her loft.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out." he turned so his back was to her bed, taking a few steps backwards and sitting on it, positioning her in his lap so she was straddling his legs and facing him.

"Well, I don't know what there is to explain, it's like you said, part a to part b." she grinned, setting her hands on his shoulders and pushing him onto his back.

"I suppose, but you're so, delicate, our version of intercourse can get rough, very rough." he brought his hands to her hips, examining the curves of her body.

"Maybe I like rough." she purred, leaning forwards to kiss him.

He growled softly. "Don't say that, I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't hurt me Knocks." she smiled, trailing a series of kisses from his lips to his neck.

He gave another low growl, closing his eyes. "So soft."

Diana sat up, tugging on the vest and shirt he wore. "These need to come off."

Knock Out only grinned, the clothing almost crackling as it dematerialized, leaving him topless.

"Cheater."

"I told you I -"

She silenced him with another kiss, letting her hands explore his chest, marveling at the feel of him, so solid and real, and so well muscled. She had to ponder why he'd chosen the form he had, and where he'd gotten the idea for it's appearance.

His hands tugging on her dress caught her attention. "This needs to come off." he smirked.

Diana smiled, lifting her arms above her head for him to remove it. "By all means."

He pulled her dress off easily, tossing the silk and chiffon garment to the ground. The Medic was quiet a moment, studying her. She wore no bra, as her dress had been strapless, only a thin pair of lacy panties covered her now. He'd seen her naked before, but somehow, this was different, seeing her in nothing but moonlight, her hair loose around her shoulders, perched so perfectly in his lap... He sat up, tucking a finger underneath her chin and pulling her into a long and sweet kiss. "Beautiful."

She smiled against his lips, tangling her fingers into his hair and guiding his mouth down her throat, along her neck and to her collarbone.

It only took him a few seconds to understand what she wanted, and a few minutes to master the art of using his mouth to elicit the sweetest sounds from her. When his delicate ministrations brought him to her breasts he hesitated the slightest moment, after all, these were new to him, when a carefully placed kiss drew a gentle gasp from her he smirked, any doubts banished by her reactions and encouragements. Same species or not, it roused the most primal male instincts in him, to hear her cooing and moaning, to be the cause of her ecstasy.

He was still sitting upright, Diana in his lap, although she was nearly bowed over backwards so his lips could roam her upper body. He kept one hand along her lower back, ensuring she wouldn't fall over backwards. His free hand was exploring her stomach, fingers grazing the hem of her panties before delving between the fabric and her skin. A few seconds of searching and he found what he was looking for, that delicate little nub that caused Diana to writhe in his arms.

He chuckled against her neck. "Mmm, watching you do this at the lake was torture." he nibbled at her earlobe, fingers still working beneath her panties. "And now I get to do it."

Diana couldn't form a coherent reply, her hands clinging to his shoulders for stability as she twitched in his lap. How the hell was he so good at this? It wasn't fair! She shook her head, willing her tongue to work. "I, I can't, please..."

"What was that?" he grinned.

"I want, you, please..."

"As you wish my lady." he pitched to his right, easily rolling and setting her on her back so he was between her legs, one hand still at her back and the other braced near her shoulder to hold himself up. A moment of pause hit him as he looked her over again, his hands eventually pulling her remaining bit of clothing from her form. He crept between her legs again, another flicker of static signifying that he'd also shed his last bit of so called clothing.

"So warm." she murmured, opening her arms to him and pulling him to her. She lifted her legs, settling them about his hips and looking to him. "You sure you're, you want to do this?"

Knock Out smirked. "Interface is nothing new to me."

"But I mean, with me, a human."

"I don't care what you are, you are you and that's all that matters."

A grin formed on her face. "Then allow me." she wormed one hand between his belly and hers, little fingers carefully wrapping about his member. "Oh come on, did you have to make everything about this body so ridiculously perfect." she had to roll her eyes despite their intimacy.

He laughed softly, involuntarily pushing himself into her hand. "I live to please my lady."

Diana smiled, touching her lips to his as she ever so slowly guided him inside, both of them going still as he hilted himself within her.

"Sweet Primus, so soft, so warm, so tight..." he growled softly, slipping a hand beneath her back again to pull her up and against himself. As before he kept his right hand braced on the bed to keep himself steady.

She smiled again, exhaling softly. Never before had she felt so perfectly fitted to a lover. She brought her arms about his shoulders, rolling her hips gently to encourage him to move.

He took the hint, rocking against her carefully.

She couldn't help but notice that he seemed to be holding himself back, the frown on his face evidence enough of his restraint. "Knocks?"

He glanced to her, a warm smile on his face. "Yes?"

"Don't hold back." she kissed him quiet as he tried to reply. "You won't hurt me, so please, just go."

Another frown was on his face as he considered, bowing his forehead to hers before he spoke quietly. "Alright."

And then it was like something had snapped between them, Knock Out increasing his speed to slam his hips against hers. His hands found hers, lifting and pinning them above her head.

The sudden change in tempo had caused Diana to blink initially, but she had little time to process the change as bliss overtook her, her mind turning to mush as he pounded into her.

He didn't keep them in that position long, the Medic sitting upright so he was sitting on his kneels and pulling Diana with him so she was seated on his lap. She didn't have to do much in response as he easily maneuvered her about until they settled into a smooth rhytym, her arms locked around his neck as she bounced in his lap. His mouth was at her neck again, teeth grazing along her skin, nipping at the hollow of her throat.

There was something very primal about the sounds he made, and Diana was thrilled by them, although her own sounds of pleasure seemed so demure in comparison. She had to admit, she was a little curious about how rough Cybertronians were during sex. so she grinned, using her weight and legs to flip him onto his back so she could straddle him. She almost laughed at the surprise on his face, but instead splayed her hands over his stomach so she could lift her hips and drop them down again.

The predatory gleam returned to his eyes as he tried to sit up, a growl rising in his throat as she pushed him back down with a scolding tsk. He seemed to settle beneath her, his hands gripping her hips and helping her to rise and fall on him. It was when she closed her eyes and let her head loll back that he flipped her so she was again beneath him. "Mine." he snarled against her neck.

"Yours." she hummed in reply, her body latching onto his as he ravaged her.

His hands were on her hips so tight she was sure she'd have bruises, but she didn't care, not one bit.

She only made it a few minutes before she felt a heat rising in her belly, her groans growing louder and more frequent. "Knocks, I'm, I'm going to..."

He growled, loud and deep as he bit into her neck, the sensation of his teeth breaking her skin the final act that sent her over the edge. He came as she did, the tight heat of her insides drawing him into the depths of pleasure along with her. She was vaguely aware that he too was crying his release, albeit against her neck.

Knock Out gave a few more slow thrusts before his arms gave out and he dropped atop her.

Diana had to catch her breath, a momentary jealousy overtaking her that he didn't need to do so, as the holoform didn't breathe. She blinked as he suddenly bolted upright, his eyes locked on her shoulder, shock on his face. "What?"

He shook his head, features crinkling into a frown as he inspected her neck. "I hurt you."

"It's okay."

"It's not okay." he glanced to her, such a deep regret in his eyes that Diana had to gather him in her arms, like a mother soothing her child.

"Knocks, it's fine, it's not that bad. I'm okay." she felt him sigh against her chest, returning the embrace.

He lifted his head, another frown on his features. "Slag, one second." he muttered, rising from the bed and off lining the holoform.

Diana sat upright, watching as his true body shifted into his bipedal form. "What is it?"

"Message from Megatron." he frowned, a deep sigh escaping him. "I have to go, I'm sorry." he walked to the railing of her loft, reaching his hand out to her.

"It's alright." she smiled, reaching her own hands out to his, smoothing her fingers along his. "I'll be here."

He sighed again, the angst in his eyes making it obvious that he didn't want to leave her, especially not now. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

Diana nodded, kissing his fingertips. "Be safe."

He nodded, turning and stepping out of the shop, transforming and vanishing into the early morning light.

Diana smiled, flopping back into her bed and waiting until she couldn't hear his engine anymore. She closed her eyes, snuggling into her blankets. "Perfect."

* * *

**Hastily written smut... win? *shrug***

**So... the new episode of TFP... Knocks gets stuck in the wall x'D Poor baby!**


	14. Tread Carefully

Breakdown was waiting for Knock Out when the red mech arrived back on the Nemesis, and the expression on his face was enough to leave Knock Out frowning.

"What?"

Breakdown shook his head. "Megatron wants to talk to you, he knows we took extra energon for the holoform."

"Scrap." Knock Out sighed, deciding he might as well head to the bridge to get it over with. To be honest he wasn't overly concerned, Megatron was always pissed off at someone for something, and the medic was confident he could talk his way out of anything.

As expected, the Decepticon leader was waiting on the bridge, his constant glower darkening as Knock Out and Breakdown arrived. "Knock Out, where have you been?"

"Oh just out and about my liege."

Megatron stepped closer, examining the medic. "I've been informed that you and your assistant have taken more than your allotted amount of energon."

"Mmhmm." Knock Out nodded, demeanor nonchalant.

The leader frowned a bit, waiting for the medic to elaborate.

"Used it for a holoform."

Breakdown was sure his remaining optic had widened larger than possible. He was really just going to blurt everything out?

"A holoform." Megatron repeated.

"Yes, makes it easier to get into teeny tiny places, specifically holes in the chests of your troops." Knock Out glanced to his body, dusting off one shoulder out of boredom. "Helps with repairs."

Megatron grumbled, turning to glare at Starscream. "Next time you care to pester me with issues Starscream." He stepped to the mech, snarling in his face. "I suggest you do your research so as to not waste my time."

Starscream could only give a small and nervous chuckle as Megatron shoved past him.

Knock Out glanced to Breakdown, shrugging lightly before turning to leave the bridge.

"You need to be more careful." Breakdown sighed, keeping pace with his friend.

"Please, there's nothing to worry about." Knock Out smiled, leading them to the med bay.

Breakdown didn't miss the upbeat tone to the medics voice. "What's gotten into you."

"A human?"

"No, it's more than that." Breakdown trailed off, eyeing the red mech up and down. "You're never this, happy." Another moment of scrutinization passed before Breakdown jerked out of realization. "You _mated_ with her?"

Knock Out could only laugh in reply. "Of course I did."

Breakdown shook his head, turning on his heel. "I liked the pinkie but, ick." He muttered, walking out of the bay, Knock Out still laughing at his assistant's reaction.

* * *

Knock Out spent the rest of the day in the med bay, catching up on the few odd jobs he had. Few bots came into the bay, as most were flat out destroyed by the Autobots. He wasn't quite sure if that was a good or bad thing, at least it gave him loads of spare time.

His thoughts drifted to Diana again and he sighed, shutting down the terminal he'd been tinkering with and deciding to go see her. He'd done enough work that no one could claim he'd been inactive on the ship.

He was halfway to the ground bridge when he became aware of a presence around him, one he'd come to dislike. "What do you want Airachnid?"

The spindly femme materialized from the shadows of the hallway, hanging from the roof by her secondary set of legs. "What, a girl can't go for a walk on her own ship?"

Knock Out sighed, walking forwards again. Only when Airachnid dropped down in front of him to block his path did he speak again. "What?"

"You've been acting funny." The spidery bot circled him, amber eyes slipping over his frame. Knock Out only folded his arms, giving her an unamused look. "And -" She closed her optics, smelling the air about them. "- I smell a human on you."

Knock Out froze, his optics locked on her.

"What? Touchy subject?" she laughed, circling him again.

"I go out to race with the humans, passes the time." His voice was low, gaze still glued to her.

"Mmm, I have a few pastimes that involve humans too."

"I am well aware of what that past time is." He growled, narrowing his gaze. "And I have no desire to partake in it."

"A shame." She reached one hand out to him, trailing her fingers along his forearm. "I feel we could make a great pair, given our love of dissection-"

She was interrupted by Knock Out snapping a hand out and taking hold of her neck, slamming her into the wall.

"Never, do you hear me?" He kept his grip tight, pinning her to the wall.

Airachnid seemed stunned by his reaction, the femme taking a moment before replying, her seductive tone returning. "Fiesty."

Knock Out snarled, releasing her and turning to stalk down the hall, ignoring the venomous laugh that echoed after him as he marched into the room that housed the ground bridge. He punched in the co-ordinates for his usual spot, a little plateau a few miles from Diana's house, as he'd never be so foolish as to bridge right to her front door lest someone discover those co-ordinates.

His hand paused over the bridge lever, a thought occurring. Airachnid was able to smell Diana on him, and Starscream knew that he and Breakdown had stolen extra energon. Breakdown had told him to be careful, maybe he was right.

The medic stared at the lever for what seemed like an eternity until he sighed, pulling it down and activating the bridge with a soft mutter. "Squishy, you're going to be the death of me."

* * *

**Just a short lil post, because I needed to get some drama started SOMEWHERE. *plotting laughter***

**I thought I'd put it out here that I do have this story up on my DeviantArt as well. If you care, I'm ****XshadowsenshiX**** on thur. :3**


	15. Medicine

***happy noises* All the reviews and favorites make me so happy. (And a big thanks to Draketeeth for helping me to work on my derpy grammurz '. )**

**I shall address a few questions, from both reviews and PM's. :3**

**About the holoforms:**** I made up Knocks having the little wrist holoform, if you've seen the one Ratchet has in the TFP series, just think of that! As for holoforms, I'd like to think they were fairly common before the war and they began to run low on resources, so now with energon being scarce many had to drop the idea.**

**(I am debating with myself over them being able to "remember" how to make one. In one of the books I read an Autobot says that Cybertronians can remember and log the form of anything they've scanned, so I've pondered that. But in all the TV series we've seen everyone only has one alternate mode, so I'm leaning more towards the "We can only hold one schematic at a time." idea. But I dunno, the random ramblings of my mind!)**

**But as for comparing the wrist screen and a holoform, a little screen would take far less power than a walking talking form. I think that the wrist screen would be attached to the bot, and thus draw power from them, but as the holoform can stroll off on its own it would need significantly more energy. And as for Knocks not having made himself a holoform up until this point... he's too stuck up ****_"I can do my job without some ridiculous crutch. *nose in air*"_****.**

**What does Diana look like exactly:**** Well, I did explain her, but I was so "ermagerd unlikely love story I must write the plot between them" that I might have neglected her, so *clears throat* I shall give you a little biography:**

**Diana is 5'5", fairly thin as she is athletic, but she is well muscled. She takes good care of her body. She had dark blonde hair, it falls to just below her shoulder blades when it's down and is naturally wavy (think beach babe waves x3). I'd like to think of her as an Saggitarius, her D.O.B. would be November 25.**

**As for style, she's rather down to earth as she's usually working on a vehicle of some sort, comfy pants and tee shirts are her thing. She will dress up if she has to, but she dislikes long dresses as she can't run easily in them. (Because that's what girls worry about right...?) **

**I'll slap a profile up for her on my DA eventually, but the first chapter on there does have a link to a picture of how I envision her!**

**Are you going to follow the series plot of change it:**** I'm going to follow it as close as I can, but I do plan on changing things. And no I'm not telling what exactly! :)**

**Aaaaaaand enough blabbering... story times!**

* * *

Diana's shop was dark when Knock Out arrived, the silence of the place making him uneasy given the mood Airachnid had sent him into. He quietly drove in, coming to a halt in the spot he usually sat at the base of her stairs and glancing around. A soft sound from the loft revealed her location and he activated his holoform, ascending the steps to find her.

The little human was still in bed, bundled up in her blankets.

"Lazy fleshling." He smirked, walking over to the bedside. "You're still asleep?"

Diana poked out of the blankets, looking to him with bleary eyes. "Hey."

Knock Out had to frown at her disheveled state. "What's the matter with you?"

"Sick." She mumbled, closing her eyes and leaning into the hand he touched to her forehead.

"I'll say, you look unwell." he frowned again, sitting on the bed and carefully extracting her from her cocoon of blankets. "Let me see."

She smiled, following his hands as he pulled her into his lap. "Since when do you know anything about a human's well being?"

"I can still try can't I?" he smirked, examining her, his mind automatically switching to _professional mode_ as he studied her.

She was warm to the touch, so he knew it was a fever, and she appeared to have been sweating given that her hair was plastered to her face and neck. Her eyes were bleary, voice groggy. She looked about to fall asleep in his grip.

"Well, your internet isn't very helpful..." He trailed off, mind trying to cycle through the well of information on human illnesses. "You could have the flu, you could have bone cancer."

Diana laughed. "I think it's just a flu, maybe something I ate at the wedding upset my stomach." She smiled, nuzzling against his chest. "But I feel better with you here."

He could only smile in response, unable to express the warmth that thrummed through his spark at her words, to know he could soothe her with only his presence.

"By the way."

"Hmm?" He glanced to her when she spoke.

"It's impolite to bed a lady then run off." There was a teasing tone to her voice.

"I, I'm sorry." Knock Out mumbled, his shoulders slumping.

"I know how you can make it up to me though."

He looked to her, frowning out of confusion at the naughty tone she had adopted. "But you're sick."

"Haven't you heard? Sex is great medicine." She chuckled, shifting in his lap so she could kiss him. "And there's nothing wrong with slow and sweet."

Knock Out sighed, wrapping his arms about her. "You're absolutely crazy." A smile crept over his face. "And I love it."

* * *

**Hmm, short... sorry! But I'm le sleepy, I just wanted to get this thought down. Cookie to anyone who can guess why she's sick! (Also, I may be MIA a little while! My sister in-law is pregnant and due any day so I've been her nurse/maid/pamper-er ^_^ I'm too excited to be an auntie aaaaahh!)**


	16. Crazy

*glomps the dear readers* So I have been trying to re-watch the series and take notes before I wrote anymore, so I could remember who was where during what times. But I'm a lazy twat so... I shall improvise. *determined face*

And to those who guessed, no Diana is not pregnant, nor will she ever be able to conceive with Knocks as there's nothing organic about him that would allow that. :3 (Unless he were able to poof to the Well Of Transformation like Phaedrolous mentioned, but I'm trying to stick to the Prime universe so that won't be happening here! I like the idea of them being able to bond despite their differences, I think it'd make it a much stronger relationship. :3)

* * *

Knock Out had decided to spend the rest of the day and that night with Diana, given she was still violently ill, even after her demands for a special brand of... medicine. He hadn't gone into stasis, as her pale form had him worried. She'd been unable to keep anything down and had spent the day curled on the couch with her head in his lap. Even now she was still clinging to him as she slept, both of them settled in her bed, she lying down and Knock Out sitting against the headboard.

He'd done nothing but research while she slept and he was fairly sure he'd now be able to perform brain surgery on a human given all the material he'd read, but he couldn't quite pin point her affliction. The best he could decide on was that her body was reacting to a toxin, some soft of poison, perhaps she'd been right about eating something bad.

"Why so serious?" Her quiet voice broke his musings, the medic glancing down to her.

"Just thinking."

"Uh oh." She smirked, shifting to stretch in her bed. "What time is it?"

"Five thirty seven in the morning." He brushed a bit of hair from her face. "Feeling better?"

Diana smiled and nodded, sitting up. "Yeah, still a little, groggy though."

He smiled as well, touching a kiss to her forehead before off lining the holoform, his true body shifting as the holoform dissipated into static. "I'm glad, I was really worried for a while there." He finished transforming, stepping close to the loft and watching as she got out of bed.

"Just a bug, people get sick." She winked to him. "Part of our icky human nature."

He rolled his optics. "Don't remind me, you humans and your fluids."

"Hey, I don't recall you complaining about my fluids last night." She walked over to the railing of her loft, waggling a finger at him.

"When I say you humans, I don't mean you. I mean all other humans." He smirked, pretending to bite at her scolding finger.

"Oh? So I'm special now? Above all other humans?"

"But of course." He hummed.

"You're dumb."

"You're sexy."

Diana blinked. "That's a new one..."

He gave a small shrug, touching a finger to the top of her head. "I should get back, lest I be scolded again."

"Again?" She tipped her head to the side.

"I got a bit of a talking to over taking energon for the holoform, but it's nothing to worry about, I explained it away." He gently trailed his finger from her head to her cheek, a smile on his face when she leaned into his touch, completely trusting. "Hopefully I can avoid Airachnid today."

"Who's that?"

Knock Out sighed. "An insane femme, she has a killing fetish and thinks I share the same sentiments given my trade, she wanted to work together."

Diana scowled, reaching for his finger and holding it tightly. "Bitch thinks she can take you from me?"

The red mech laughed. "Why squishy, are you jealous?"

"Damn straights. I'll beat the shit out of her if she touches you."

He laughed again, stroking his finger along her side. "You're crazy."

"I'm protective."

"That makes two of us."

She smiled, pulling away from him and waving a hand. "Go on now, run along before daddy gives you a spanking."

Knock Out snorted, turning for the exit. "BAD mental image."

* * *

There was an odd silence about the Nemesis when Knock Out arrived, he grew curious when none of the mechs on board would meet his gaze and was downright suspicious when Dreadwing approached him.

The hulking blue seeker was usually rather intimidating, but he had an odd look to his optics, guilt.

This only confused Knock Out more. "What is going on around here?"

"I'm afraid I bring you bad news."

"Alright?" Knock Out folded his arms, watching the other mech.

"Breakdown and I had been ordered to dispose of Airachnid."

"About fraggin' time."

"However, she rebelled. Breakdown was offlined."

Knock Out froze, his optics hovering over Dreadwing's features. "He's, dead?"

Dreadwing gave a slight nod, murmuring an apology before turning and leaving.

The medic just stared after him, un-moving. Breakdown was gone? Just like that? The mech who'd been able to smash through anything and everything was taken down by that conniving little glitch. He snarled, stalking to the bridge where he knew he could find Sound Wave.

The bridge was, thankfully, deserted. Only Sound Wave and the odd crew member stood in the massive room.

Knock Out walked straight to Sound Wave, taking the silent mech by the shoulder and turning him so he could face him. "Find me Airachnid."

Sound Wave made no move, seeming to study Knock Out for a moment. A snippet of a conversation played across his visor, the voice Dreadwing's: "We lost track of her, no sightings, no signals."

The medic glared. "Bridge me to the last place she was, now!"

Another moment of silence passed before Sound Wave nodded.

Revenge was going to be sweet.


	17. Trust Issues

The ground bridge had delivered Knock Out to a dark and secluded forest, nothing but stone and trees about him. He studied the area, unable to find any trace of the three Decepticons who had been there earlier. A frustrated sigh left him as he lifted his right arm, his small holoscreen flickering to life as he did a quick scan of the area. A blip of cerulean on the screen indicated energon nearby, Knock Out not hesitating to transform and speed towards the location.

He shifted back to his regular mode upon reaching the locale, his spark dropping to his stomach as he took in the scene. There was no trace of Breakdown, only a pool of energon that signified that the mech had been slain there.

Knock Out knelt, touching a finger to the puddle, his anger rising as he noted a hole nearby. "Pathetic femme, never plays fair..." His voice faded as he spotted a series of marks in the soil, trailing from the woods to the spot of Breakdown's demise. "Humans." He studied the footprints, glaring at them. So the humans had taken his partner's remains, he had a good idea as to what group of humans would have done such a thing. "MECH."

"So it would seem." A new voice echoed about the clearing.

Knock Out whirled about to face the voice's owner. "Prime."

The Autobot leader was standing along the treeline, Bumblebee and Ratchet at his side, the three of them watching Knock Out.

"What do you want?" Knock Out snapped, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

Optimus lifted his hands, trying to reassure the Decepticon. "We saw an odd burst of energy, energon and Cybertronian signals." He gestured to the scene. "I assume this was it's source. Do you know what happened?"

Knock Out frowned, trying to determine what the Prime's intentions were. "Breakdown and Dreadwing were supposed to terminate Airachnid, she struck first though." His shoulders slumped slightly. "Breakdown's gone."

Optimus rumbled softly, a frown on his features. "I am sorry."

"Why are YOU sorry?" Knock Out hissed.

"Breakdown was more than your assistant and ally, he was your friend." Optimus replied, Bumblebee chirping an agreement while Ratchet merely sighed.

The Decepticon pondered the Prime's words a moment, his form relaxing as he spoke. "He was more than that, he was like a brother." He looked the trio over. "So now what, we try to kill each other?"

"I see no reason to quarrel with you Knock Out, and given your recent activities, I think you may be beginning to doubt your place in Megatron's army." The Prime took a step forwards, his hands at his sides, relaxed.

"What do you mean my recent activities?" Knock Out shot a glare to Bumblebee. "You can't even talk and you told him about Diana?"

Bumblebee blinked, shrugging innocently.

"Knock Out, what are your intentions with this human?" Optimus kept his gaze on Knock Out.

"It's none of your fraggin' business." He retorted, body tensing again.

Ratchet snorted at the Decepticon's behavior. "I can't possibly see how she can say she loves you."

Both Optimus and Knock Out tensed at the Autobot medic's words.

"You, you've TALKED to her?!" Knock Out shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the group.

Bumblebee lifted his hands, trying to calm the red mech through gesture as Optimus had before.

"How did you find her? What did you do?!" Knock Out snarled, taking a few advancing steps towards the Autobots.

"It was coincidence, Bumblebee encountered her on the road and she asked to speak with me." Optimus gestured between the yellow scout and himself.

"Bah." the red mech waved a dismissive hand.

"She requested we grant you leniency." The Prime said, watching Knock Out frown at his words. "She cares for you, a great deal, I just want to be sure her love isn't misplaced."

"You know nothing about what goes on between her and I." Knock Out turned, staring into the puddle of Breakdown's energon. "And, I shall not harm her." He looked to Optimus. "Ever."

Optimus seemed to accept the medic's words, lifting a hand to his helm and speaking. "Raf, you may activate the ground bridge."

It took only seconds for the Autobot's bridge to appear, Ratchet stepping into it without hesitation, still shaking his head over the situation.

Bumblebee lifted his right hand, pointing two of his fingers to his eyes and then to Knock Out in an _"I'll be watching you"_ action, before following Ratchet.

Optimus hesitated a moment, speaking before walking into the bridge. "Treat her well Knock Out, and be wary of the Decepticons."

Knock Out rolled his optics as the Autobots and their bridge disappeared. "Understatement of the century."

* * *

Knock Out had eventually returned to the Nemesis, unable to find any trace of Airachnid nor any clues as to where the humans had taken Breakdown's remains. He was in his med bay, trying to focus on his work despite his conversation with Optimus replaying in his mind.

He gave up on the terminal with an exasperated sigh, spinning on a heel and heading for the ground bridge, unaware that silent optics were following him. The mech reached the bridge room, tapping in now memorized co-ordinates and activating the bridge, strolling into the light.

Sound Wave entered the room as the bridge deactivated, Megatron arriving a moment later.

"He's gone again?" The leader spoke.

Sound Wave nodded.

Megatron growled, stepping to the console and reactivating the bridge so it would transport the user to the co-ordinates Knock Out had entered. "Do find out where my medic has been spending so much time."

Sound Wave nodded again, stepping through the bridge without hesitation.

* * *

Oh teh noes! A SW spy!

Oh oh oh, who saw the latest episode? I laughed WAY too hard and Knock's panic attack bahaha. (Patch is the episode :P)

Also, cookie goes to Carnomaniac for guessing why Di's sick, exposure to energon! (though I shall not go into extreme detail just yet). *huggles*

Y'know, I'm really kicking myself for putting so many short short chapters... so I apologize, but tis all time permits... :C


	18. Okay With Forever

Soundwave arrived minutes after Knock Out did, the silent communications officer studying the bland area before shifting into his alternate mode and taking flight. It didn't take him long to spot Knock Out, the red Decepticon being the only streak of color in the otherwise monotonous desert.

He followed the medic for some time, idling himself when a large building appeared on the horizon. Soundwave dropped onto a nearby plateau, shifting into his regular form and studying the metal shop. Knock Out had gone inside, but the large door had shut behind him, leaving Soundwave frustratingly blind.

The officer touched one long finger to his side, a soft click sounding before a part of his body seemed to fall away and unfold itself. The piece continued to shift until it was able to stand on it's four legs, the thing's long tail moving into place and twitching about as it finished it's transformation.

Soundwave didn't need to speak to Ravage for the feline-like Decepticon to know what had to be done, he and his pets were able to speak without speaking.

Ravage took a moment, snarling as it understood what Soundwave wanted. Go to the shop, get information, easy. It clicked softly, leaping off the edge of the stone plateau and scaling the cliff side, headed for the shop in the distance. It would find what Soundwave wanted.

* * *

"He's, dead?" Diana spoke quietly, both of her palms resting on Knock Out's face as the bot held her in his hands.

"Yes, Airachnid." Knock Out sighed, leaning forwards into her touch. "I couldn't find her, or Breakdown's body. I couldn't... I couldn't do anything-"

Diana pressed her hands over his mouth, silencing him. "I'm sorry."

The medic sighed again, shoulders going slack. "Me too."

She touched her lips to his cheek. "Can I do anything?"

"No, listening is enough." He murmured, holding her close.

"Do you want to do anything today?" She spoke, a warmth to her voice as she hoped to cheer him some.

"I don't care, did you have any plans?" He knelt down, setting his hands to the floor so she could step from his palms.

"Garden duties, weeding and watering."

He made a face at her mention of water. "What is, weeding?"

"Pulling out the plants I don't want, the bad ones." She moved towards the shop doors, gesturing for him to follow her to the various flower beds she maintained along her shop.

"And who decides which ones are the bad ones?" He followed after her, watching as she halted before one of the little gardens.

Diana frowned at the dark tone to his voice. "You decide, you're the only one who really can. There will always be popular belief and opinion..." She trailed off, plucking a dandelion from the bed and turning to him, lifting the white fuzz to her lips. "But that doesn't mean you need to follow it, you are free to live your own life, to keep your own special garden." She blew gently, the seeds fluttering from the plant to dance about the air. "Take dandelions for example, they're called a weed, but everyone loves to do this. To blow the seeds around, play with them."

Knock Out watched the little fluffs move about, caught on the breeze.

"In the end, what's good and what's bad is up to you. Whatever you decide to weed out of or keep in your garden."

He glanced back to her, studying her face before speaking. "What if you can't do it alone?"

Diana smiled, stepping towards him and beckoning him down until his face was level with her. "Then you find a little gardener willing to help you, one who'll help no matter how many thorns there are and be there to clean your cuts afterwards." She leaned forwards until her forehead met his chin, closing her eyes and smiling.

"I love you."

Diana blinked at the words, his voice soft and deep. He had said them with such emotion that it make her heart flutter. "And I love you, for as long as you'll let me."

He smiled, cupping one hand about her. "I hope you're okay with forever."

* * *

The scene was frozen, playing back on Soundwave's visor aboard the Nemesis.

Megatron was watching with disgust. "Knock Out, has taken a human for a mate?"

Soundwave nodded.

"This is, most interesting." Megatron turned away, his jaw working as he thought.

Soundwave stepped beside him, an image of Diana on his visor. Megatron watched as Soundwave disintegrated the image, her form almost seeming to burn inside the dark glass.

"No, we won't kill her, not yet anyways." Megatron spoke. "Knock Out is still useful to us, but he sounds as if he his beginning to doubt the Decepticon cause." He looked to Soundwave. "Keep an eye on him, if the good doctor falters, we shall act."

* * *

Two weeks had passed, and Knock Out was relived that Diana had finally gotten over her apparent illness. She had still been violently sick during the first week, but it seemed to subside until it had vanished altogether.

He had his holoform up and was lying on a mechanics dolly, tucked underneath one of the cars in the shop so he could get at the drive shaft. Diana has said she was feeling funny when he arrived that morning and wanted to sleep in, so he could only smile when he felt a tap on his feet, knowing she was up and about.

He rolled himself out from under the car, arching a brow at the sight of her. "What's the matter?"

Diana had her quilt pulled about her shoulders, hiding all of her body save her head. Her eyes were blank. "I, I need to show you something." Her voice was so quiet that it sent a pang of worry through Knock Out.

He bounced to his feet, running his hands over her face. "What's wrong?"

"This!" She exclaimed, letting her blanket fall to reveal herself in the baggy tee shirt she'd been sleeping in, only her belly was protruding now.

Knock Out blinked, not understanding. "Wuh..."

"Pregnant! You twit!" She flicked her fingers at his nose.

He stood frozen, the holoform's mahogany gaze locked onto her belly. "But, but that's-"

Diana's laughter interrupted him, the blonde reaching under her shirt to pull one of the throw pillows from her bed out. "Oh my GOD! Your face was priceless!" She bopped him with the pillow, still laughing hysterically.

The medic blinked, his mind eventually falling back into place. "A prank, why you audacious little skin job!" He snatched her up in his arms, twirling her about and nibbling at her neck, tickling her with his lips.

Diana squealed in response, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Oh no squishy, you're not getting out of this one so easily." He growled against her neck, trading the light tickling action of before for longer and sweeter kisses.

"I'm absolutely petrified." she giggled, ceasing her fighting as the mood shifted.

"You'd better be." he purred, carrying her to where his true self sat in alternate mode and setting her on his hood. "I'm going to make you scream."

"Bring it on bucket head."

* * *

Blargh, I'm so tired! So if this chapter is crap, I blame my husband for keeping me up until 5 a.m.

In case someone is wondering, why Ravage over Laserbeak? I love Ravage, so very much. *happy squees* I do like Laserbeak too, but he's so annoying sounding! How are you supposed to be sneaky when you sound like a barbie doll police car siren?

Anywho... thank you as always to those who've read. *huggles*

I forgot to mention, the pillow prank was the brain child of the wondiferous Rahamed. 3


	19. Promises

"Strange..." Knock Out murmured to himself, his crimson optics studying the large screen before him. He turned towards the middle of the Nemesis' bridge, speaking to the Decepticon's Leader. "Lord Megatron, it appears that Breakdown's signal has, popped back online... albeit, corrupted."

Megatron frowned, barely glancing over his shoulder. "Investigate with caution, it may well be an Autobot trick."

Soundwave was examining the monitor as well and Knock Out found himself hoping the intelligence officer wouldn't pick up on the flicker of longing in his optics. "I certainly hope not, Breakdown may act the brute but he's a maestro behind a rotary buffer." He made an act of dusting his shoulder off, hoping the words and motion would deter the other Con's from sensing the rising hope he felt.

Megatron made no reply and neither did Soundwave, so with a small sigh of relief Knock Out turned and left the bridge. He picked out four Vehicons along his way, his pace quickening as they fell into pace behind him, heading for the Ground Bridge. His fingers flew over the controls, putting in the co-ordinates for Breakdown's supposed location and activating the Bridge. He quickly stepped into the Bridge, taking a second to calm himself before exiting the other side. As hopeful as he was, he truly had no idea what would be waiting for him.

It was dusk on Earth, and Knock Out had to pause to get his bearings. The co-ordinates had delivered him to what appeared to be a human military base, although the charred corpses of the humans and their vehicles told the Medic that there would be no resistance to his presence. He frowned, glancing about. The chaos of the site caused a sense of doubt to settle in his chest, in all their time together neither he nor Breakdown had done anything like this, as much as they had disliked humanity, they had never flat out slaughtered those they encountered.

There was a smouldering hole in the side of one of the military warehouses, the sound of heavy footsteps coming from the gap as the hulking form of Breakdown appeared through the smoke.

Knock Out felt a smile on his lips as he spoke. "Breakdown! Where have you..." Both his voice and smile faded as the blue mech stepped into the open, hauling some sort of metal crate with him, and turned to face Knock Out. Something was wrong, it hung in the air like a putrid fog and caused the earlier unease to return to Knock Out's chest, creeping into his frame as the other's optics focused on him. "Breakdown...? What happened to you?"

"Therein lies a tale." The blue mech spoke, his voice obviously not Breakdown's and only serving to cement the dread Knock Out felt. "Which won't be nearly as interesting to Megatron as this." He hefted the crate he had hauled out of the warehouse. "So, take me to your leader."

Knock Out could only stare at the mech. It was though his very spark had frozen, any hope for reclaiming his fallen partner ground into ash alongside the corpses littering the military base. Only when one of the Vehicon's at his flanks shifted did he pull himself back to reality, ordering the ground bridge to be re-opened to return them to the Nemesis.

They said nothing as Knock Out lead them through the ship, arriving at the bridge and walking to Megatron, still silent as the massive Decepticon leader turned to inspect the new arrival.

"Knock Out, what is this abomination? And why have you brought it here?" The Warlord growled, his amethyst gaze locked on the blue mech.

"I am Cylas." The mech bowed in reply, touching a hand to his chest as he dipped forwards. "As in Cybernetic Life Augmented by Symbiosis. I come with a proposition."

Knock Out glared, stepping forwards and pointing an accusing finger. "This is the human who dissected Breakdown!" He continued to glare, letting his right hand shift into the circular saw he favored whenever he was upset. "Please my liege, allow me to return the favor..." his voice faded, growing dark with fury.

Megatron said nothing, only glanced to Knock Out.

"I propose that you not overlook the one asset that provides Optimus Prime an advantage. At least on this world." Cylas spoke, gesturing with his left hand.

"And that would be?" Megatron asked.

"The human factor." The grin was evident in Cylas' voice.

"Look around you, Cylas..." Megatron nearly spat the human's name as he spoke. "I command an army from a might warship, what could a human possibly offer?"

"I, am no ordinary human. And this." Cylas gestured to the crate he'd brought with him. "Is no ordinary weapon."

Knock Out could only watch in silence as Cylas explained the satellite that the crate held, as well as the power it possessed, what it was capable of.

Megatron smirked as Cylas finished explaining. "A threat to anyone, anywhere, on the planet."

"With pin-point accuracy at the flick of a switch." The human said, giving a slight nod of Breakdown's head.

"And what is it that you, wish in return?" Megatron asked, fixing his ever present glower on the blue mech.

"Merely a place at the table." Cylas said, setting a hand over his chest.

Megatron was quiet, giving a slight nod to Cylas before turning to address the others on the bridge. "Leave us, now."

All the mechs turned to leave, save Knock Out and Soundwave.

Knock Out clenched his hands into fists, glancing between Megatron and Cylas. A quick glare from the Decepticon Leader was enough for Knock Out to mutter and leave, stalking out of the bridge.

He went directly to his Med-bay, pausing in the center of the room with his servo's still clenched tightly. He wasn't entirely sure what he'd expected Megatron to do, but he had been sure the Warlord would've crushed the abomination that was inhabiting his friend's body, as he found himself wishing he had done the moment he'd laid optics on him at the base. But no, the thing had brought a gift, and Megatron never turned away something that promised to help him win the war.

Knock Out snarled, taking hold of one of the trays that held a menagerie of tools and throwing it across the room with an angry shout. The more he thought on it the more it repulsed him, the idea of some human masquerading around in Breakdown's body, as though it were little more than an article of clothing. He turned to one of the berth's in the bay, leaning forwards to brace his hands on it, resisting the urge to go to Diana. He sighed deeply, the mere thought of her calming him. He would bide his time, he would wait.

* * *

A ping in his internal comm systems startled him as he had drifted off into his thoughts for some time, the fact that it was from Megatron piqued his interest. It was a simple message, the words holding a promise that Knock Out would get his wish: _Damocles will fail. Prepare your bay._

His fingers twitched as he turned on his heel, taking his favored energon prod from it's resting place in the Med-bay and moving for the Bridge, snarling at two Vehicon's to follow. He couldn't help the feeling that swelled within him, excitement... he would finally be able to avenge his ally, his friend, his brother.

He slowed as he approached the Bridge doors, watching them slide open with in silence. Cylas was standing with his back to the doors, facing Megatron.

"Cylas, you have earned your place at the table." The Warlord began, only Soundwave able to detect the hint of mocking in his Leader's voice.

"Lord Megatron, I am honored." Cylas replied, a smile forming on his stolen lips.

Megatron snarled, interrupting anything else the human may have wanted to say. "Knock Out's dissection table."

Cylas recoiled, whipping about to look to the doorway where Knock Out stood, energon prod resting on the floor as he leaned against it.

"Breakdown would be tickled." The Medic purred, stepping in closer.

Cylas whirled to face the Decepticon Leader again. "No, Lord Megatron! Why?!"

"Because Damocles was the best you had to offer, and it is no more." Megatron took a few steps closer, his head tilted to the side, a look of dark amusement on his face. "The human factor did indeed tip the scales..." He halted his advance, glancing to Soundwave who was standing at his side, silent as always. "... in favor of my enemies."

Cylas inhaled sharply as an image of the three human children who assisted the Autobot's appeared on Soundwave's visor. He had only a second to study the picture before a shock racked his mechanical body, sending him to the floor in a fit of spasms.

Knock Out smirked as the man fell, adjusting his grip on his energon prod, satisfied with the way it had brought down the abomination residing within Breakdown.

Megatron walked over to the downed human, hovering over him as he spoke. "He will be a fascinating case for study." Soundwave stepped next to Megatron, watching quietly as Knock Out too stepped in front of Cylas.

The Medic smiled, kneeling over Cylas and tapping a finger against the newly replaced optic. "I will leave no fibre or fibre optic unexamined." He rose only when the two Vehicon's he had brought with him began to haul the blue mech out of the Bridge and into the hallway.

"No, no! Megatron! I'm here to serve you!" The human cried, writhing weakly in the grip of the Vehicon's as they tugged him towards Knock Out's Med-bay.

Knock Out shook his head, following in silence. He spoke only when they arrived in his Med-bay, his voice quick and curt. "Tie him to the berth, and ensure he cannot escape. If he does, you shall take his place beneath my blades."

The Vehicon's nodded, a mild look of panic on their features as the strapped the still wailing Cylas to the berth Knock Out had indicated. They quickly double checked their work before departing the bay, not daring to look back as Knock Out bent to collect the tools he'd sent to the floor earlier in the night.

Cylas pulled against the restraints. "Let me go! You don't need to do this, I can tell you -"

"Oh for the love of Primus will you shut the fuck up." Knock Out growled, rising and hurling one of his wrenches at Cylas, a small sense of satisfaction flickering inside him as the tool left a dent in the blue mech's chest. He walked to the berth side, leaning low over Cylas' face and hissing. "I want you to understand something, you have taken my friend from me not once, but twice. And I intend to make you suffer enough for both he and I."

"But I didn't kill him, we found him and-" He was interrupted again as Knock Out hit him upside the head, hard enough that the human grunted in pain.

"You disgrace him, his very body, by donning it and parading about in it." Knock Out snarled, taking hold of the mechs face and turning it to face him. "I know you think we are machines, we cannot feel as you humans do, but I, am going to prove you wrong." He jerked his hand away, moving to the nearest console and typing in a few commands, an image appearing on the screen, a scan of the monstrosity lying in the berth.

"I can make it worth your while to spare me." Cylas spoke, unable to hide the tremble in his normally flat voice as Knock Out plucked a device from one of the medical trays.

"No, you cannot." Knock Out said, reaching beneath Cylas' neck and disabling the functions of the mechanical body he possessed, rendering him immobile. He smirked as a panic appeared in the man's stolen optics, Cylas realizing he would be unable to move.

"Please..."

Knock Out ignored him, bringing the plasma blade he held down in one swift motion, severing Cylas' right arm at the elbow and pulling it away from his body.

Cylas screamed in agony, optics widening as he watched Knock Out toss the arm aside.

"Mmm, energon." Knock Out said quietly, inspecting the azure liquid that poured from the tattered limb. He sighed, taking a few clamps and pinching off the energon lines, ensuring Cylas wouldn't bleed out before he was done with him. "I suppose it's obvious, but I was expecting blood."

Cylas didn't reply, only kept Breakdown's denta gritted together to suppress the moans of pain that rose in his throat.

Knock Out took a moment to study Cylas. He couldn't help the disgust that rose from in the pit of his chassis. The humans had repaired Breakdown's body as best they could, the mech's frame welded back together in such a crude fashion that Knock Out had to resist the urge to clean it up, return his friend's body to it's former state. A new wave of fury hit him as he realized that no matter what he did to this body, Breakdown would still be gone. He glared, stepping forwards and easily finding the areas that would allow the mech's chest to pop open. The Medic blinked as he opened Breakdown's chest, an equally surprised Cylas looking up at him through his own, human, eyes.

"What are you going to do..." Cylas asked. His voice still had a tremble to it, but the man seemed to have steeled himself some what.

"What does it matter." Knock Out said, scowling at the thing that occupied Breakdown's chest like some sort of diseased growth, nothing but flesh where the Con's spark had been. He raised one hand, touching a finger to Cylas' chest and pressing, earning a howl of pain from the man as a trickle of blood appeared where Knock Out's finger broke the skin.

"Stop!"

Knock Out pulled his hand back, glaring at Cylas. "How disgustingly fragile." He took a step back, Diana's voice echoing from somewhere in his memories. "Probably because we're not giant ass robots." He frowned, an odd pang of guilt building in his chest. What would Diana think if she were there, if she were to see him... torturing... Cylas.

Cylas frowned as Knock Out tossed the blade aside. "What, giving up?"

"It seems I have developed a bit of a conscious." Knock Out growled, turning back to Cylas. "You're lucky."

Cylas grinned, the man having gained the sense that Knock Out was going to spare him, let him go. "Well, I'll certainly make it up to you."

Knock Out smirked, hovering over Breakdown's chest. "Oh that won't be happening, I've only decided to spare you the agony of being alive while I dissect you dear Cylas."

Cylas' smirk fell, his eyes going wide. "What, no!"

Knock Out said nothing, taking one of his scalpels and swiftly driving it into Cylas' chest, quickly ending his existence. He watched as the human twitched once before falling still. "And to work the good doctor goes..."

* * *

Diana felt her heart catch in her throat when Knock Out arrived that night. He was in his regular form, walking towards her shop with his head hanging. But what had sparked the horror in her was that he was covered in the blue she'd come to recognize as energon. "Knock Out!"

He lifted his head at her voice, watching as she ran towards him.

"What happened? Are you alright?" She skidded to a halt at his feet, her hands immediately skimming over what she could reach of him. "Why are you covered in energon?!"

Knock Out knelt, staying quiet.

"Knocks, talk to me." She splayed her hands over his faceplate, trying to clear his face of some of the splattered energon.

"Do you remember me telling you about MECH, and Cylas?"

His voice was so low that Diana barely heard him. "Yes."

"And Breakdown, how they tortured him, and how Airachnid killed him?"

Diana nodded. "Yes."

"He came back today, but... it wasn't him. Cylas was, inside him, wearing his body." He couldn't help it as his body tensed with anger.

"Inside..." Diana spoke softly, keeping her now dirtied hands on him.

"I killed him."

Diana blinked, looking up to see he had his gaze on her, waiting for her to judge him.

"I dissected him..." Knock Out said, his voice growing quiet again as he stood, turning away from Diana.

She stood frozen, unsure of what to say.

He flexed his hands into fists, unable to look to her again, afraid of how she would be looking at him. "If you, if you are..." he shook his head, not knowing what to say.

"Did you bury Breakdown?"

Her question caused him to blink out or surprise, turning to look at her.

She had her hands clutched at her chest. "I'm not sure if you have funerals like we do, a ceremony to honor departed friends?"

Knock Out blinked, still stunned at her questions. "I placed him in a stasis pod for now."

Diana nodded, stepping close to him and gesturing for him to kneel.

He obliged, dropping to his knees and offering her his hands so he could lift her to his face.

"I'll admit, I'm a little, shocked to hear this but..." She glanced to his hands, sighing and trying to wipe some of the energon from his servo's with the sleeve of her coveralls. "... I don't blame you, nor shall I judge you." She smiled, touching a kiss to a clean patch on his cheek.

Knock Out relaxed, his shoulders sagging. "I, thank you, Diana." He offlined his optics, relishing the calm that came with having her near him.

She smiled, leaning forwards to embrace his faceplate, giving the best hug she could manage given their size differences. "It's okay you big twit, I promise, I still love you."

* * *

Blargh, sorry for the long wait, I've been on vacation with my husband so! I only now had the time to haul my laptop out of my suitcase so, I thought I'd write the dissection table bit. (I'm afraid I'm rather tired so, it may not be the best... I'll review it tomorrow x3 )


	20. Pinch

There was something morbid about it, he was sure of that, but Knock Out loved chaos. He worked best in it, he was able to dissect the various things going on about him and focus on what needed to be done, it was what made him such a skilled Medic and he was well aware of it. It was obvious even now as his servos were buried in a Vehicon's chest, trying to pinch off the energon lines to keep the mech from bleeding to death.

There were other Decepticon's scattered about the Med Bay, most battered like the one Knock Out was working on, others were doing their best to assist Knock Out, but none could match the calm and ease with which the red Medic worked.

His optics were focused on their work, his servos moving quickly to do what needed to be done, repair the damage brought on by Airachnid and her little posse of Insecticons. The thought of the femme brought a flicker of anger from within, but Knock Out pushed it down, focusing again on the Vehicon. So focused was he that he did not hear the doors to the bay open, nor see Megatron walk in with a wounded Dreadwing in tow.

"Knock Out." The Decepticon Leader brushed his way past the other Cons in the room, going as far as to kick some out of his way.

Knock Out gave a quick glance to Megatron, enough to assess both him and the blue Seeker, before looking back to the Vehicon beneath his servos.

Megatron growled softly, shoving Dreadwing forwards. "See to our Second in Command."

"I will later, his wound is superficial, if I don't deal with this -" He gestured to the Vehicon he was working on with a slight jerk of his chin. "- he'll die."

Without warning Megatron stepped forwards, raising his arm and cracking the backside of his servo into Knock Out's face, snarling as the red mech was sent sprawling backwards and onto the floor. "Did you not hear me Knock Out? See. To. Dreadwing."

Knock Out sputtered, wiping a stray dribble of energon from his now split lip plates, as he pushed himself to his feet. "Noted Sir, I will attend to him as soon as I am finished here." He stepped back to the Vehicon, well aware of the heavy silence that had fallen over the room, no one defied Megatron.

Megatron narrowed his gaze at Knock Out, his fists clenching and unclenching. After a moment he grinned, surprising everyone by turning to leave the room without another word, the only optics not watching his retreating form belonging to Knock Out.

The Medic said nothing to break the silence, only continued his work, smiling and sighing gently as he stabilized the Vehicon. A quick glance around the room proved that everyone had gone back to their own tasks, leaving only a confused looking Dreadwing in the Medic's field of view. "Well, come over here." Knock Out gestured to an open space of floor near one of his terminals.

Dreadwing obliged silently, only watching as Knock Out set to work on the Seeker's battered wings. "That was foolish."

"You act like it's the worst thing I've done." Knock Out smirked.

Dreadwing said nothing, only rumbled softly in response.

* * *

Hours had passed and the ship had quieted, only Dreadwing, Soundwave and Megatron stood on the bridge.

"I have no place for a creature like Knock Out on my ship." Megatron's voice broke the quiet, the Gladiator's voice holding a tone of amusement. "I never thought I would see the day that he would, go soft." He glanced to Soundwave, something unspoken passing between the two as the Communications Officer turned for a terminal, issuing a series of commands to a squad of Eradicons. "See to it that he and his little pet are taken care of."

* * *

Knock Out was still in the Med Bay, cleaning and sanitizing his tools and unaware of the order that had been given floors above. The door to the Bay opened and three Eradicons stepped in, the group halting and staring at him. Knock Out glanced to them before turning his attention back to his tools. "What is it."

There was no warning as the three Decepticons lifted their weapons, not hesitating as they fired at the Medic.

Knock Out yelped out of surprise, ducking behind one of the berths with a curse and shout. "What the frag are you doing?!"

The Cons didn't reply, only continued to fire.

Dread settled in the center of Knock Out's chest. This could only mean one thing, that somehow Megatron knew, about him... about Diana, and he had had enough of it. He growled, he wasn't about to die to Megatron and his cronies, much less let Diana come to harm at their hands. He pulled his energon prod out, smirking as the weapon flickered to life in his servos. He vaulted over the berth, taking the Eradicons by surprise and knocking them to the floor, not bothering to look back as he sprinted down the hall and away from the Med Bay.

He met only one other group of Vehicons as he ran to the Bridge room, but they were equally easy to dispatch. Medicine may have been his forte, but he was damn skilled with his prod and everyone knew it. His escape was halted when the doors to the Ground Bridge opened and revealed an imposing mech at the controls. "Dreadwing."

Dreadwing turned, not leaving the console, but making eye contact with the Medic.

Knock Out frowned, tightening his grip on his prod. He knew he was good, but Dreadwing was a powerful Seeker and second in command for a reason. "Well, now what."

The Seeker glanced back to the console, fingers moving over the controls and activating the bridge.

Knock Out looked from the portal to Dreadwing, frowning again. "Is this a trick?"

"No." Dreadwing finally spoke. "I do not condone Megatron's reasons for ordering your demise, to have found a mate in this war, despite the species difference." He paused, a frown that seemed to be a mix of disgust and amusement appearing on his face. "It is a rare thing. I know how it feels to lose someone you're bonded with, and I do not wish it upon anyone else."

"So you're letting me go?"

Dreadwing nodded once. "I cannot guarantee I will be able to spare you a second time."

Knock Out hesitated, considering the Seeker's words before nodding and stepping into the bridge. "Thank you."

* * *

Diana didn't hear Knock Out arrive, for the little mechanic had her headphones in and was singing along with one of her favorite songs, but the Mech had no time to appreciate the frightened squeal she made when he tapped her on the shoulder.

"We need to go."

She blinked at him, pulling the buds from her ears. "What? Why?"

"To put it simply, the Decepticons know about me and you, and, they are far from pleased." He stood up, rubbing at his head. "If they know about you, they know where you live, we need to go somewhere safe."

Diana nodded, confusion still flickering about in her eyes. "O-okay, just let me get a few things packed." She dropped the tool she had been holding, sprinting up into her loft and wriggling out of her coveralls.

Knock Out paced as she packed, watching as she threw a menagerie of clothing, toiletries and personal items into a worn out backpack. She finally grabbed her wallet and phone, descending the stairs and skidding to a halt at his pedes, slinging the pack over her shoulder.

"Good to go." The words had barely left her lips when an explosion rocked the garage. "What the hell was that!?" She whirled about.

"They're here!" Knock Out snarled, snatching Diana in his servo and transforming about her, tearing from the shop and peeling out onto the highway.

Diana looked behind them, a soft sound of despair leaving her as her shop, her home, was engulfed in fire.

"I'm sorry." Knock Out said quietly.

"Just drive." She turned back to the dashboard, closing her eyes and nodding. "Don't let those fuckers catch us."

Knock Out obliged immediately, driving as fast as he could, tires screeching whenever he took a turn too fast.

Diana found herself being bounced around the passenger seat, as her stunned mind hadn't chided her to buckle up upon being flung inside the Aston Martin. Instead of reaching for it now she was on her knees, facing backwards in the seat with her hands on the headrest, eyes locked on the lights that followed them both by air and highway. "Knocks, this is bad."

"I know." His voice was short, attention focused on avoiding the hail of fire the Cons were assaulting him with.

"Like, really bad Knocks!"

"I know!" He growled in frustration, an Eradicon appearing in front of him, forcing him off the pavement and into the woods that the winding road had led them into.

Diana screamed when an explosion rocked them both, sending Knock Out skidding across the soil.

"We can't outrun them." Knock Out said, his voice low, laced with dread.

"So, what do we do? I can hold my own in a bar fight but this -" She cursed at another hail of fire. "This is out of my league."

"Get out." He came to a halt, tires sending up a shower of dirt as he abruptly stopped.

"What?" She blinked at the dashboard. "You can't possibly fight them by you-"

"Diana get out!" The Medic roared, opening his passenger door and all but shoving her from himself as he transformed, his energon prod already active and in his servos. "Hide. Now."

The mechanic gave a quick nod, darting into the woods, her form vanishing into the shadows of the night.

Knock Out growled as the Decepticons who had been pursuing he and Diana came to a halt, the two Eradicons and three Vehicons surrounding him. "I've probably fixed all of you, and this is how I'm repaid?" He bared his denta at them. "I hope you all rot in the pit."

Diana hadn't gone far, as she would never abandon him, but she had hidden as he asked and was now watching from the treeline. She glanced upwards as the sound of engines announced the arrival of two more Cybertronians and her face matched Knock Out's when Megatron and Dreadwing slammed to the ground in front of Knock Out, fury.

"You're late to the party." Knock Out cooed, the rage not leaving his faceplates.

Megatron scoffed once. "You disrespect me and dishonor yourself by associating with that disgusting fleshling, did you really think I didn't know? That I wouldn't care?"

Knock Out shrugged, a grin flickering over his features. "Eh."

The Decepticon Leader glared, gesturing as if bored. "Kill him."

Diana's hand came to her mouth when the five Decepticon's advanced on Knock Out. She wanted to run forwards, to help him somehow as he snarled and held his ground, his prod working quickly to defend himself, but found her feet frozen and body unable to move. Only when a blade from one of the Eradicon's connected and cut into Knock Out's shoulder did she find some semblance of mind, scrambling for her phone and hastily dialing a number she'd never imagined she'd dial.

Knock Out was screaming out of rage and agony, putting down one Con after another until the five foot soldiers were nothing but heaps, left to drown in their own energon. He panted, chest heaving as his body tried to stabilize itself, he himself taking mental note of each wound the wretches had inflicted. It was mostly his left shoulder, the dependant arm going limp at his side when the wires and cabling to the limb had been severed, but several other points of his body were also registering damage. He cursed softly, twisting to face Megatron and Dreadwing, the former regarding him with an amused look.

"Now now, why can't you just be a good mech and die." Megatron sighed, a cruel grin on his lip plates as he flexed his arm, a blade forming from his forearm to aim at Knock Out.

Knock Out could only lift his right arm to try to block the Gladiator as he advanced on him, the larger Mech's free hand going straight for Knock Out's throat. The Medic managed to bring a leg up, kicking out hard against Megatron's chest, forcing him back and breaking his hold, enough so the red mech could swing a well aimed punch into Megatron's face.

The Leader staggered back, touching a servo to his faceplates. "I'd forgotten you were the one who knew how to fight up close and personal." He laughed before advancing on the Medic again. "Good." He charged forwards, ducking the hit Knock Out tried to place and coming up with his own fist ready, pummeling it into Knock Out's midsection. The Medic choked loudly as the air was knocked out of him, the azure of Energon flying from his lips and onto Megatron.

Knock Out blinked, trying to banish the black that was dancing before his optics from the punch, Diana's voice did the trick, the Mech watching with horror on his faceplates as the woman appeared at the edge of the hastily designated battle field.

"Get your fucking hands off of him!" Her hands were balled into fists, her blue gaze locked on Megatron.

Dreadwing blinked at her arrival, having been watching the two Mechs fight in silence.

"Diana, don't." Knock Out ground out, trying to free himself of the servo Megatron had rewrapped about his throat.

"I said let him go!" She shouted, advancing towards them.

Megatron only grinned. "Trying to save your mate? Such care, it's precious, perhaps you'll enjoy this then." He glanced back to Knock Out, taking his bladed arm and shoving it forwards, his violet optics glittering with glee as he drove the blade into Knock Out's chest.

Diana screamed, throwing herself into a run as the blade protruded through Knock Out's backside, a shower of energon staining the ground behind him.

Megatron laughed, releasing his hold on the Medic, letting him fall to his backside with a strangled cry of pain. "Don't fret, I'll happily send you along with-" He was cut off by an impact to his chest, the blast sending him flying backwards. "Prime!"

Diana didn't bother to look at the arrived Autobots, her eyes locked on Knock Out's prone form and the expanding puddle of blue he was lying in. She was vaguely aware of the two Leaders exchanging words, Megatron's shout of fury and the sound of battle anew. She ignored it all, skidding to a halt and dropping to a knee beside Knock Out's head. "Knocks!"

The red Mech glanced to her, but didn't speak.

She took a breath, looking down to his battered body. "What do I do?"

He groaned, trying to speak, but only energon appeared at his lip plates.

Diana shook her head, pressing a hand to his cheek as she stood upright. "It'll be okay Knocks." She swiftly climbed atop him, choking back the cry that rose in her throat at the sight of the gaping wound in his chest.

Energon was oozing from the wound, the veins that carried his lifeblood severed. Diana bit her lip. _"Stop the bleeding."_ Her mind hummed, instinct taking over as she dropped to her knees, leaning forwards to plunge her little hands into his chest, fumbling for the veins that would drip him dry of his life.

Knock Out croaked beneath her, no doubt her hands were causing him more pain.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She said, repeating the words like a mantra as she found one energon line, pinching it shut and inhaling sharply when she realized she had nothing to tie the line off with. She kept hold of the vein with one hand, reaching behind her head with her other hand to all but rip the elastic from her braided hair, reaching back down to tie it about the leaking line.

Knock Out twitched, his optics fluttering beneath heavy lids.

"Don't you close your eyes, if you fucking die on me I swear to God I'll kick your ass from here to China!" She reached in further, finding the opposite end of the major line. One hand flew to her foot, tearing the shoe lace from her work boot so she would have another item to help stem the bleeding. She was still digging in his chest up to her elbows when a voice from above her commanded her to move. The stunned woman was plucked from the red mech's torso when she didn't comply fast enough, the new mech dropping her to the ground and moving to hover over Knock Out.

"Optimus, we need to get Knock Out out of here, now!" The white and orange mech who had moved Diana shouted, looking up as he addressed his leader.

"Acknowledged Ratchet, Bulkhead, bridge us back!" The Prime's deep voice sounded from somewhere nearby.

The next few moments seemed to pass in slow motion, Diana watching as a white and blue mech appeared to help Ratchet haul Knock Out up and through a ground bridge portal that had flickered into existence nearby. A glance to her left showed Optimus Prime and Bumblebee retreating from their deadly dances with Megatron and Dreadwing. She could only blink when a blue form grabbed her, lifting her from the ground and running through the ground bridge with Diana in her servos, only when the light of the bridge faded and silence reigned did she find her voice. "T-thank you Arcee." She looked up to the femme who still held her.

"Don't mention it." The blue femme gave a small smile despite the situation, her optics only resting on Diana for a few seconds before lifting to watch Ratchet and the white and blue mech drape Knock Out onto a nearby berth.

"Knocks!" Diana scrambled from Arcee's grasp, running across the cement floor towards the berth, boots leaving a trail of blue footprints in her wake. She hauled herself up onto a ledge near the berth, unaware that three sets of human eyes were watching her. "Can you save him?" She kept her gaze on Knock Out and his darkened optics.

Ratchet shook his head, unspeaking as his servos flew about, working on Knock Out.

The blue and white mech who had helped to carry Knock Out looked to Diana. "Hey, give the Doc some room."

She glared up at him, eyes saying everything her voice didn't before looking back to Knock Out.

"Smokescreen, Diana is Knock Out's mate." Optimus spoke, stepping forwards from the semi-circle he and the other Autobots had formed about them. "Her concern is to be expected."

Smokescreen sighed, rolling his optics and moving away from the berth to stand next to Bumblebee. "Right, human mate, loves the Decepticon we just whisked into our base, remind me again why we're helping him?"

"I do love him." Diana hissed. "And you can show some god damned respect, look at him!" She flung a hand towards the red mech, tears rising in her eyes.

Smokescreen went silent, stunned at the little woman's fury.

"I didn't believe it when Bulk told us, you really love a Decepticon?" The accented voice of a young woman piped up, the owner one of the three young humans perched above in a lounge area, watching from behind a railing.

Diana blinked at the three humans, opening her mouth to reply but instead Ratchet spoke.

"All of you, out!" He cast a quick glare over his shoulder. "Optimus, I need your servos here."

That was that, the three children trotted down a metal staircase, following the Autobots as they filtered out of the area. Only Optimus and Bumblebee stayed, Bumblebee walking over to Diana and offering a palm for her to climb into.

Diana shook her head. "I'm not leaving him."

"Yes you are." Ratchet said, not looking up from his work. "You are covered in energon, it's toxic to humans, get cleaned up."

She shook her head gently. "It doesn't bother me." The blonde looked down at herself, a little surprised to see that most of her body was now stained a bright blue.

Ratchet was momentarily surprised by her claim, as were Optimus and Bumblebee, but the Medic recovered quickly. "I've got it from here." Ratchet glanced to her. "Go."

Despite never having met the Autobot Medic, there was a commanding tone to his voice that she dare not defy and Diana found herself in Bumblebee's servo, the yellow mech heading down the hall that the other Autobots and the humans had walked down moments before.

Diana looked up to Bumblebee. "Do you think, he'll live?"

Bumblebee halted, gazing down at her with heavy optics, giving a long and low beep.

"He better, or I'll never forgive him."

* * *

**BLARGH! Took long enough huh? I was so stuck on how to open this chapter, I'd had the latter half in my mind since I conceived this story but meh! (Also, being super sick and busy IRL doesn't help! _ ) So, I'm so very sorry for the wait, I hope it's alright... I'm still not quite happy with it but I wanted to get it out!**


	21. What Did I Get Us Into Now

***flails around and falls on floor* So, I am still alive, I've just been awfully busy with life! Becoming an Aunty, trying to deal with the Army stealing my Hubby, moving back home for a few months... whew! And to top it off, my wordpad crashed my computer whenever I run it, I'd been unable to write but I downloaded a new program so yay! **

**I want to say I'm so so sorry for the delay but, we all know how life can be. ^_^' I wrote this with a migraine, trying to babysit as I wrote so, I hope it's decent enough to keep this story going!**

**:3 **

* * *

Bumblebee carried Diana to what she could only assume was a training room of sorts for the Autobots, large and open with many, many, skid marks on the concrete flooring. The remaining Autobots and their three human friends were standing in the center of the room, chatting lightly, though all eyes and optics turned to Diana and Bumblebee as they entered.

Diana couldn't help it as she shrunk back into the yellow bot's palm some, flinching away from the various gazes.

"So, what's the story with you?" The young girl spoke, stepping forwards, lacking the judgmental gaze of the hulking green and blue and silver mechs. "Oh, I'm Miko by the way." She twisted, pointing to each person present, introducing everyone. "Jack, Raf, Arcee, Bulkhead and Smokescreen."

"I'm Diana, Diana Kerrin." Diana spoke softly, gesturing for Bumblebee to set her down. Miko walked straight up to her, babbling a thousand words a minute, nearly bounding around the older woman.

"How'd you wind up with Doc Knock? Where are you from? What do you guys do together? You DO know that he's a bad guy right?" The girl chattered on and on, leaving Diana watching her in stunned silence.

Arcee stepped forwards, lifting her hands. "Alright Miko, give it a break." The femme looked down to Diana. "You need to get cleaned up, energon's toxic to humans."

"It doesn't bother me." Diana shrugged slightly, looking down at her blue stained body, missing the curious looks the Autobots gave her. "But I should get cleaned up."

"I'll show you the showers, there's an old locker room here." Miko stepped forwards, headed for the doorway to the room, not bothering to look to see if Diana was following.

"Ah, I guess, I'll be back. Just, thank you for, well, for everything." She gave a small smile to the remaining group before turning to follow the teenage girl. The soft sound of footsteps caused her to glance over her shoulder.

"You don't want to be alone with her." Arcee smirked, trailing along as they arrived at the showers.

Miko had already torn an assortment of items from the lockers; soap, towels and what appeared to be a set of forgotten army fatigues.

"Thank you." Diana smiled, relaxing a bit now that they were alone. She stepped to one of the showers, turning it on and testing the water. Miko bounced over, setting a bottle of what appeared to be shampoo and a bar of soap on the ledge in the room.

Arcee stood against a far wall, arms folded over her chest, watching as Diana drew the curtain to wash herself.

Miko came to stand near the blue femme, rocking back and forth onto the balls of her feet, biting her tongue though a million words tickled at her lips.

It only took Diana a few minutes and she was clean, emerging from the shower with her hair pulled back, wearing the fatigues that were just a bit too large on her. "Better?"

Both Miko and Arcee nodded, the human leading Diana back through the base, declaring a tour was needed. The blonde could do little more than nod an agreement as the three females moved around the base, Miko managing to take near an hour on the tour, slowing as they drew near the area Ratchet was working in.

"I never thought I'd be saying this, but, I'm sure Knock Out will be fine." Arcee glanced to Diana, the trio halting once they'd returned to the training room.

Diana gave a slight nod, unable to hide the concern in her eyes.

"A notion I can second." A deep voice added, the room's inhabitants turning to see Optimus. "Ratchet insists that Knock Out will be fine, but he is in stasis and must remain so for some time."

"Can I see him?" Diana would jog over to the Autobot leader, staring up at the mech with wide eyes.

Optimus would nod slightly, stepping aside so Diana could sprint down the hallway and towards Knock Out.

She made it to the med-bay in seconds, nearly falling over herself as she ran through the doorway, earning a surprised look from Ratchet. "Sorry." she murmured.

Ratchet only scoffed, turning his attention back to the datapad in his hand. "Knock Out will survive." He glanced up, watching as Diana climbed atop the berth that the red mech was lying on. "You're sealing off his energon lines saved him, he owes you a thanks as well as his life."

Diana smiled, carefully stepping near Knock Out's head, laying a hand against his face. "You did all the work, I can't thank you enough."

The Autobot medic scoffed again, waving a hand and turning to leave without another word, leaving Diana alone with Knock Out.

"Hey Knocks, I'm not sure if you can hear me." She kept her right hand on his cheek, leaning forwards to rest her forehead against him as well. "But you'd better wake up soon." She smiled, unable to help the tears welling in her eyes. "Don't make me wait."

* * *

Ratchet kept Knock Out in an induced stasis for another seven days, to ensure he had time to heal. Diana rarely left the Decepticon's side, only when the others insisted she eat or sleep, although she preferred to curl up on Knock Out's chest, a blanket that Bumblebee had dug up draped over her tiny form.

The Autobot's had seemingly gotten over their suspicion of Diana, after having gotten to know her some. Even Smokescreen would offer her a smile, always making a point of saying hello. Bulkhead had asked her several times during the first few days of her stay if he could take her home, usually earning a glare from Miko, though Diana would politely decline.

Diana, for her part, had learned a great deal from the Autobots, mostly just from watching the group. She'd even spent a few hours talking with Optimus Prime, immedietly seeing why every Transformer revered the Prime, whether if be due to his skills as a leader or a warrior. The three children had tried to include Diana, offering a seat on their sofa to her, though they seemed to regret it when Diana proved she could beat all of them at their favourite racing game. Ratchet too had learned to relax around Diana, and she in turn learned that it was best to give the older Bot his space and respect his privacy.

But of all the Autobots, it was Arcee she'd grown closest to. The femme was serious and no nonsense, reserving her kinder side for her friends and the proper moments, Diana found herself developing a deep respect for the blue femme, as well as sympathy when Arcee relayed the stories of her past.

It was the morning of their eighth day at the Autobot base when Ratchet announced he'd let Knock Out out of stasis, although he may still take some time to wake on his own. So later that afternoon Diana found herself seated on Knock Out's chest, Ratchet the only Bot in the base as the others were off performing various tasks, the older mech taking the quiet time to read over some content in the privacy of his quarters.

The blonde was sitting cross legged, talking to Knock Out, as she had every day since they'd arrived. Arcee had given her a datapad filled with Cybertronian lore, which the human had been poring over daily. A soft mumble tore her eyes from the words, looking to Knock Out's face, the Medic grumbling quietly, optics parting into slits. "Knocks?"

The red mech's optics fluttered open at her voice, taking a moment to adjust to the lighting of the room.

"Hey!" Diana smiled, tossing the datapad down and standing, tip toeing along his chest until he could see her. "Welcome back to the waking world."

The confusion in his gaze faded some as he focused on her. "Hey." His voice was gravely, lower than usual.

"How do you feel?" She smiled, bracing her hands on his chin so she could lean forwards to kiss him.

"Like, like..." Knock Out groaned a bit, closing his optics again. "How am I alive."

"Ratchet fixed -" Diana didn't get to finish, Knock Out jerking upright at the mention of the Autobot. "Whoa, easy!"

The Decepticon flinched as he moved, still healing insides protesting the sudden movement. His crimson eyes flashed about the room, realization of where they were dawning on him. "W-what, how did we get here?"

"Knocks, relax." Diana managed to keep on her feet despite the Medic's sudden movements. She found herself on his lap, trying to calm him. "It's alright, they're alright! I asked them to help us, and they did."

Knock Out shook his head, grumbling gently. "This is, how did." His voice trailed off.

Diana struck a hand out, slapping at his chest. "Calm the hell down."

He blinked a bit at her hitting him, giving a heavy sigh before lying back again, moving slowly this time.

"That's better." She smiled, inspecting his chest, trailing her fingers over the scarring that was slowly fading as his body repaired itself, something she just couldn't wrap her mind around despite Ratchet's efforts at explaining.

The sound of an opening door and footsteps would cause both to glance to the source, Diana smiling and Knock Out frowning as Ratchet approached. "Well well, look who's awake."

Diana spoke before Knock Out could, the blonde shooting a warning glare to the Decepticon as his lips moved to, more than likely, spew some insult. "Just woke up, he seems alright."

Ratchet walked over, ignoring the dirty looks Knock Out directed his way. "I'll do a few scans, runs some tests-"

"I don't need you to do anything, I can do it myself." Knock Out spat, trying to sit up again, nearly sending Diana tumbling off him.

"I have no doubt that you can, but I am the one who repaired you and am, unfortunately, your doctor. Thus, you will do as I say." Ratchet rolled his optics, annoyance creeping into his voice. "Like it or not, you're in bad shape."

"Knocks, please, just trust him." Diana had moved down onto the berth next to Knock Out, lest he decide to toss about again.

The red mech glanced down to her, seeming torn between wanting to vault the table and run off or just lie back and relax again. Another pleading look from Diana was all it took for him to choose the latter, the Medic falling back with another deep sigh.

Ratchet glanced to Diana, giving a small nod of thanks before beginning his inspection of Knock Out, Diana watching with curious eyes, eager to learn more.

Once Ratchet had finished up and declared Knock Out fine, merely requiring more rest, and left the med-bay, Knock Out seemed to relax some.

"See, it was alright." Diana smirked, poking at him.

Knock Out only rolled his optics at her, looking away, pouting like a little kid. "Now what."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't stay here, and we can't go back to the Decepticons." He glanced back to her, worry in his optics.

Diana shook her head. "Don't worry about that now, we'll deal with it when the time comes, alright?

"But I-"

"ALRIGHT?" She fixed him with a glare, not unlike one a Mother would give her complaining child.

Knock Out groaned, closing his optics and thumping his head into the berth a few times. "What did I get us into."


	22. Agreed

"Knocks, you need to eat something." Diana sighed, folding her arms and staring up at the red mech.

"I don't wanna." The mech mimicked her actions, although he was seated on the medical berth instead, arms crossed over his chest as he looked away, huffing softly.

"And why not? You need to eat you twit."

"Because, who knows what the Autobot's have in plan for me, they could poison any energon they give me." Knock Out glanced down to her, his eyes flickering about in suspicion.

"Kill you?" Diana arched a brow, unable to believe that such a, sophisticated, being could be acting like such a child. "Knock Out, if they'd wanted to kill you, why would they have spent the time and energy to save your life?"

"Well, because, I don't know." He mumbled, looking away again.

"You're an idiot." She mumbled, waving a dismissive hand at him and turning to walk away.

"Wait, where are you going?" He jerked about to watch her, the pout in his eyes immediately changing to worry.

"To tell Ratchet that you're being a big baby." She called over her shoulder, stepping through the doorway, ignoring his new spiel of whines.

Diana sighed, rubbing at her temples as she made her way towards the main room of the Autobot's base, the room that held most of the Autobot tech and their ground bridge. They'd been at the base for over two weeks now, and Diana had spent all her time with Knock Out. She had yet to return to her battered home, as she wasn't quite sure she could face it yet. Miko and Nurse Darby, or June as she insisted Diana call her, had been life savers for the blonde, delivering her some spare clothing and the basic personal necessities. She sighed again, pulling the sleeves of the over sized grey sweatshirt she wore over her hands as she entered the room. Ratchet was, as he usually was, at the main console, fingers dancing away over the interface. "Hey Ratchet, I'm not interrupting am I?"

The orange and white mech swiveled about, peering down at her. "Just checking a few things over, why?"

"Knock Out won't eat." Diana sighed, hugging her arms about her torso and glancing about. "Where is everyone?"

Ratchet waved a hand. "Optimus and Smokescreen are out on patrol, the others are with the children." He turned back to the console, sighing at the display. "If Knock Out chooses not to eat, that is his problem. He is a grown mech and, as he reminds me every chance he gets, a medical professional. He'll either shut down from a lack of fuel or see reason and ingest something."

The woman frowned, not exactly fond of the options, but knew them to be true nevertheless. "What are you working on?"

"This?" Ratchet scoffed, his frustration over his task obvious. "As the various bot's around here insist on destroying my tools every chance they get, I've been trying to repair the few I can salvage." He turned to gesture to a battered looking tool set out on a workbench. "This is Bulkhead's handiwork."

Diana turned to the staircase that led to the upper level of the room, crossing the catwalk so she could inspect the tool in question. "It's, a welder?" She glanced up to him, wiping at one of her eyes with the heel of her hand.

The Medic quirked a brow, looking down to her. "Essentially, though it's more efficient than your Earth based version. Arcee had said something about you being a, mechanic, was it?" He shifted to face the woman, resting a hand on the railing of the walkway.

"I am. I run, well, used to run a shop." She gave him a weak smile, unable to hide the ache in her voice at mentioning her home.

"Hrm." Ratchet rubbed at his chin. "And I assume Knock Out has taught you a few things about Cybertronian physiology?"

Diana nodded a yes. "It's why I've been watching you a lot, I hope I haven't been bothering you."

"Not at all, it's refreshing to have someone watch me due to my talents, rather than the fact that I'm a giant robot." He rolled his eyes, Miko and her various exclamations foremost in his mind.

"Do you want me to take a look at that?" She gestured to the item deemed a welder. "Might be easier for me to fix, my hands are smaller, I can get into it a little better than you."

Ratchet seemed to ponder that a moment, rubbing his chin again. "I suppose it couldn't hurt, though I'm unsure I have the necessary replacement parts to repair it."

"Well, looking won't hurt." Diana smiled, the action fading into a yawn which she tried to hide.

The bot narrowed his gaze a tad, leaning closer to Diana. "When was the last time you had a decent recharge?"

"Ah." She rubbed at her neck, trying to blink away her bleariness. "I'll be honest, I haven't had a good sleep since this whole thing started, since Knocks got hurt."

Ratchet nodded slightly. "Understandable, but you won't do Knock Out any good if you're too fatigued to function. Perhaps Nurse Darby can assist you, provide something to relax you?"

"I'll be okay." Diana smiled, moving to climb under the catwalk railing and down onto the bench that the welder rested on, inspecting the item. Before she could perform a thorough inspection, she found herself in Ratchet's palm, the Medic plucking her from the bench and turning to carry her back to the med bay Knock Out was in. "Hey!"

"The repairs can wait until tomorrow, you need to lie down before you fall down." He kept his hand steady, careful as he always was when carrying one of the humans who frequented the Autobot base. He came to an abrupt halt however, when they entered the med bay, blinking at Knock Out, who was sprawled out on his stomach on the floor. "Knock Out?"

"Knocks!" Diana squeaked, leaping from Ratchet's hand once the Autobot Medic lowered her, running over to the downed mech. "What happened? You tried to get up, didn't you!"

Knock Out only grumbled, lowering his face to the floor to hide his expression.

"Knock Out, your body has not fully repaired itself." Ratchet said, the commanding tone that Miko had named "medic mode" creeping into his voice. He knelt, taking one of the red mech's hands and sliding underneath his arm, using his shoulder to haul the mech upright.

"Yeah yeah." He mumbled, flinching as Ratchet helped him back into the berth. He promptly turned away from the Autobot once he was settled, back to pouting.

Ratchet only rolled his eyes, pointing down to Diana. "Both of you, rest. You're not allowed out of this room until you do so." With that the mech left, muttering to himself as he departed.

"Are you okay?" Diana murmured once they were alone, walking to the edge of the berth.

Knock Out leaned over a tad, lowering his left hand to the floor to help her up, depositing her on his chest and giving a small noise of contentment as she sat down. "Yeah, fine."

She sighed, crawling a bit closer to his face and leaning forwards, kissing his chin. "You shouldn't push yourself. You're not healed yet, and you're not eating."

He huffed in reply, bringing both his hands to his chest, cupping them around her smaller form.

"Knock Out, really. They're not going to hurt you, I trust them, and you trust me right?"

He made a small, childish, noise in response.

"You're not going to get better unless you work with Ratchet." She sighed, leaning down on his chest, nuzzling into the improvised embrace of his hands. "And, once you're better, we can go."

"Go where." He glanced down to her, a slight tone of suspicion in his voice.

"I don't know, it doesn't matter. As long as we're together, agreed?" Diana closed her eyes, a smile on her lips.

"Agreed." He nodded slightly, closing his eyes as well.

* * *

**So, I may have gotten my brothers addicted to Transformers :D I got seasons 1&2 on blu-ray for Christmas, and I've been rewatching them. Brothers sat and watched them all with me, ahahaha! *wiggles arms and runs off***

**Just a little chapter, show some evolution with Diana and the Autobots, develop some relationships!**

**{ And to answer a question, I'm an Aunty to a little girl. Her name is Roselyn. :) }**


	23. Steady

"See, Knocks, you can stand." Diana smiled up at the red cybertronian, who was standing, albeit unsteadily, in the Autobot's med bay.

"I know I can stand, it's walking I'm unsure of." the mech muttered in response, casting a frustrated glance to the little blonde woman at his feet.

"Just because you wound up flat on your face last time." she smirked, reaching out to rap a knuckle against his leg.

Knock Out muttered again, trailing a hand along his chest, which has become scuffed and scraped due to his ,graceful, interaction with the base's concrete floor days ago. Needless to say, he'd learned his lesson and had agreed to ingest something to regain his strength.

Diana's teasing smirk faded, a sympathetic smile replacing it. "I can buff that out, it'll be fine." she glanced about the med bay, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to use the larger tools Ratchet had, nor would Knock Out allow any of the Autobots to touch him in such a way.

He gave a soft sigh, shoulders sagging as he looked away from her. "This is my fault."

"No, it's not." she placed both of her hands against his foot, gazing up at him.

"I brought you into all of this, I should have, should have just let you be."

"That would be boring." Diana smirked, pushing against the metal of his foot to try to get him to look at her, which he did, with a quirked brow. "Really Knocks, it takes two to tango, I could have walked away, screaming in fear mind you. But I didn't, I'm here, and I don't want to be anywhere else."

He kept his eyes on her for a moment, giving a small noise of effort as he bent down to offer her his hand, which she hopped into without hesitation. It was when he attempted to straighten up that his weakened body decided to give out, sending him staggering a few steps before falling flat on his ass.

Diana only laughed, safe in his grasp, unable to hide her amusement that the once sleek, flexible and utter show off of a mech had fallen onto his backside. "You okay?"

"Yeah yeah." he grumbled, lifting his hand near his face, studying her. "Diana?"

"Yes?"

"If the chance to leave me ever arises, would you take it?" there was a soft hesitation to his voice, as if he were worried what her answer might be.

"Seems to me I had that chance while you were unconscious, yet here I am." she smiled, leaning forwards to touch her forehead to his face, giving a sigh of happiness as she did. "It'll take more than you getting shanked to get rid of me."

She felt his face shift, a smile on his lips. "Dumb human."

"Cocky ass toaster."

"Ahem." a by now familiar voice interrupted the pair, both turning to Ratchet and Arcee who were standing in the doorway, Ratchet looking as unimpressed as ever. "On the floor again I see."

Knock Out's lips twitched into a bit of a snarl, any softness from before having vanished. "Like you'd do any better."

Ratchet just shook his head, following Arcee into the bay.

"We have a surprise for you." the blue femme spoke to Diana, smiling and extending a hand to the blonde.

Knock Out instinctively drew his hands closer to his chest, shielding Diana. "What sort of surprise?"

"The surprising kind." Arcee sighed, setting her before offered hand on her hip.

"It's fine Knocks." Diana nudged his fingers, gesturing for him to set her down, which he begrudgingly did. The human took a few steps away, glancing back at a grinding sound and watching with concern on her features once she realized Knock Out was now attempting to drag himself back to his feet.

His left foot slipped out from beneath him, threatening to send him back to the floor, but Arcee was as his side in a flash, wedging herself against his side with his left arm across her back for support. "Easy."

Knock Out stiffened, his immediate thought to push the femme away, but a glance to Diana calmed him and he sighed, allowing Arcee to help him steady himself, moving to sit on the edge of his berth. "Thank you." it was more a mumble than anything, but it caused all eyes in the room to flicker to his face.

"Wow, the great Knock Out just thanked me, I feel, amazing." Arcee mock gasped, touching both hands to her chest, fluttering her eyelids at Knock Out, who only grumbled in reply.

Diana had to laugh, shaking her head. "He's stubborn, but like I said, he's got something good in there."

"I can hear you." Knock Out groaned, giving Diana a look a child might give their parent who worshiped their smallest action.

"An excellent point, now, lie back." Ratchet stepped into the group, an instrument in one hand, datapad in the other. "Let me check the rest of your systems."

Knock Out swatted Ratchet's hands away, instead plucking the tool from the older mech's hand. "I can do that."

Ratchet frowned, reaching for the tool, which Knock Out held away. "Need I remind you you are _my_ patient and in _my_ base, thus I am in charge."

"That was fine before, but I'm not helpless anymore. I can check myself." he leaned back again, Ratchet leaning over him to try to retrieve his tool.

"Knock Out, stop being ridiculous!" the Autobot Medic sputtered, the two mechs now thoroughly engaged in a swatting match, Ratchet clipping the top of Knock Out's head with his datapad. "You're behaving like a sparkling."

Arcee had to step away to avoid the flailing arms, pausing near Diana who was laughing softly, the bridge of her nose pinched between her thumb and forefinger. "Is he always like this?"

"You have no idea." Diana replied, almost choking on her laughter when the quarreling pair nearly toppled over one another and off the berth.

Arcee couldn't suppress her own laughter, her small frame shaking lightly with the action. "Medics." she shook her head, looking to Diana. "So, surprise?"

The woman glanced up to the femme, nodding eagerly. "I think they'll be at this a while."

The blue 'bot smirked, waving for Diana to follow as she turned to leave the Bay, leading her to the main room of the Autobot base.

"So, what kind of surprise is this?" Diana followed at Arcee's heels, a perplexed look on her face as the femme halted at the ground bridge console, punching in a few co-ordinates.

"You'll see." Arcee smiled, looking to Diana then behind her, the human following her gaze to see Jack, Miko, Raf, Bulkhead and Bumblebee. "Ready?"

"Bring it on." Miko smiled, flashing the pair near the controls a thumbs up.

Arcee nodded, activating the bridge and turning to give Diana a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, if it was dangerous, we wouldn't be bringing the kids."

Diana glanced to said children, smiling as Miko whooped and sprinted through the bridge, Jack and Raf jogging after her, Bulkhead shaking his head gently as he and Bumblebee followed. "I wasn't worried that it was something dangerous, I just hate surprises."

The femme winked, following the others through the bridge, Diana at her side. "Well, this was mostly Miko's idea, so blame her."

Diana nearly choked as they exited the ground bridge, the half burnt remains of her shop sitting a few dozen yards away.

"Bee and Smokescreen have been keeping an eye on it, the Con's haven't been around." Rafael explained, looking between the stunned blonde and her home. "We, we thought you'd like to, well." he glanced to his feet, unsure of what to say.

Diana's mind nudged at her, telling her she should say something, not alternate between gawking at her new found friends and her nearly razed home. Instead she found herself walking forwards, the others following silently until she had halted between the third of the three shop doors, the least battered. "I, I thought it was gone."

"Their shots were mostly on the outside." Arcee explained, gesturing to the left hand side of the shop, which was charred and nearly melted. "The one back corner is gone though."

Diana finally found her composure, a wry smirk on her lips as she attempted to open the large door. "Just an old dodge back there, I hated that thing anyways, never ran right."

The group seemed to relax at that, as if the string that had been holding them tense and concerned, had been cut.

Bulkhead stepped forwards, digging his fingers under the door and lifting it easily.

"Thanks." Diana smiled, stepping into the blackness of her home, coughing slightly at the residual smoke. "Ugh, needs to air out."

Bumblebee gave a small chirp, following Bulkhead's lead and heaving the second door open, though the final door wound up turning to a pile of dust in the yellow mech's hands, something Diana only laughed at, assuring the worried 'bot that is was fine.

"This is a sweet place." Miko spoke, already poking about the lower half of the building, giving the now scattered tools and equipment a quick once over before moving on.

"It was my parent's shop, before they died." Diana smiled, kicking at a bit of debris on the floor. "Guess it's toast now, literally."

"I'm sorry." Jack's quiet voice came, the teen setting a hand on the blonde's shoulder. "We thought, you could salvage some stuff, take it back to base, it's why we're here, to help."

Miko bounded to the group, grinning. "All hands on deck. Just tell us what you want us to do."

Diana smiled, genuinely touched by the thoughtfulness of the group who'd known her for scarcely a month. "Thank you, I won't forget this." She glanced around her shop, frowning, unsure of where to begin. Her gaze paused at the sight of her bike, tipped on it's side and pinned beneath one of her work benches that had been flung across the room during the attack. She had to laugh, pointing to the motorcycle. "That, is definitely coming."

* * *

It only took Diana an hour to pick through her belongings, most of the items in her loft were salvageable and Miko and Raf had taken to packing what was deemed important into Bulkhead; her clothing, a box of photo albums, a small collection of stuffed animals, Diana's various toiletries and the like, mostly the irreplaceable things. The rest of her home would be taken care of by Agent Fowler.

Jack was with Diana on the shop floor, holding a box as the woman picked through her tools, plucking out the ones she desired to keep and setting them into the box which was then tucked into Bumblebee's trunk.

Once the task was deemed finished, the group headed back to the Base, greeted by Smokescreen who had activated the bridge for them.

"Where's Ratchet?" Arcee asked once the bridge closed, the four humans quickly unpacking the boxes from Bulkhead and Bumblebee so the pair could transform back to their usual forms.

Smokescreen exploded into laughter, stunning everyone with the heart behind it. "You have to see." He turned towards the med bay, curling a finger for them to follow. He halted at the door to the bay, which had been left open, pointing into the room and laughing again.

The group followed, all eyes blinking at the scene before them.

Knock Out was on the floor, again, one arm lying before him, his fingers tapping along the floor in annoyance. His other arm was braced against the floor, his elbow resting on the concrete and his chin in his hand, a look of utter boredom on his face. "Welcome back."

Ratchet was seated on Knock Out's back, pinning him down, but contentedly able to finally perform a thorough inspection of the red mech's body. He barely glanced to the group, ignoring them as they burst into laughter, turning his attention back to his datapad.

"Knock's, what, the, hell." Diana gasped, wrapping her arms around her stomach as she laughed.

"Looks like Ratchet _can_ beat Doc Knock!" Miko exclaimed, lifting a hand into the air and pumping her fist a few times.

"What?! He did not beat me!" Knock Out sputtered, squirming again under the heavier medic, who immediately clapped him upside the head with an order to be still.

"That's kinda what it looks like." Bulkhead chuckled, an arm braced against the door frame as he laughed.

"_He_ put me on my ass." Knock Out exclaimed, pointing across the room to an unnoticed Optimus, who was quietly tapping away at a console, ignoring the scene behind him.

"And he will do it again if you do not let me finish." Ratchet scolded.

Knock Out just gave a heavy sigh of frustration, bowing his head to the floor and muttering.

"They were throwing tools around and everything!" Smokescreen howled, still doubled over with laughter. "Then Optimus comes in, grabs Knock Out by the back of the neck and that was the end of that."

"I hate you all, I really do." Knock Out grumbled, voice obscured by the concrete his face was pressed into.

"It's not that bad Knocks." Diana hummed in a sing song voice, crossing the room and crouching near Knock Out's head, which he lifted to give her a suspicious look. "I brought my buffer."

* * *

**ER MA GERD GUIZ, there's leaked episodes of the new season from Singapore! :D (I have a link to it on my DeviantArt accout, if you'd like to see you might have to do a little digging, as I can't link here. /3 If you search XshadowsenshiX on DeviantArt, that is me! It will bring up a bunch of "art", just click any Never Fast Enough and from there you can click my DeviantID, the link to the video is on the newest chapter on there, Chapter 23, in the bottom in the description.)**

***I also just put it on my tumblr, I have 2.4 friends on there so I forget about it . I'm marcena04529 on thar.**

**I lurve Knock's new lines, tee hee, 'specially when he makes fun of Starscream for bragging about killing Cliffjumper. (For the zillionth time.) And Ratchet being such a baby, I won't lie, it inspired his and Knock's scuffle in this chapter.**

**I'm not quite sure of Ultra M., I don't feel like his voice suits him... And I'm inclined to agree with Wheeljack, what's with dem shoulder pads... (There's links to piccy's of Magnus on the DeviantArt version of this chapter as well!)**

**And Optimus, WEH! T_T ALL OF MY FEELS AHGHFDHGFK.**


	24. Oops

It was late evening when Diana finally finished buffing Knock Out, giving him _the works_, as she called it. She had buffed him in both his alternate form and his normal mode, ensuring there was no spot left untouched. Judging by the way the Aston Martin was preening himself, standing in the center of the base's main room, she'd done a hell of a job.

"Excellent, truly exquisite." Knock Out hummed, twisting about to try to peer at his backside before carefully shifting back into his alternate mode and giving a rev of his engine.

Diana only rolled her eyes. "Of course, I'm great at what I do, you really need to stop doubting my talents tin-head." She turned to pack up her things, glancing about for a place to set them.

Ratchet and Arcee were the only other bots in the room, the three young humans seated in the loft on their couch, watching a movie of some sort. Diana decided to deposit her gear upstairs, given she already felt like she was invading the Autobot Base due to Ratchet's refusal to formally discharge Knock Out from his care.

"What're you guys watching?" Diana asked as she arrived upstairs, making her way behind the three teens and tucking her toolkit away in a corner of the area.

"Monster mash!" Miko grinned, flashing the older woman a "rock on" sign with her right hand.

Diana just smiled, shaking her head and making her way back to the stairs, trying to hide her ever present weariness.

The next few events happened in a blur. Diana, not noticing that the lacing on one of her work boots had come undone, stepped on the lace, losing her footing and tumbling forwards with a startled sound that drew all eyes to her. Arcee lurched forwards, hoping to cross the room in time to catch Diana, but freezing as there was an audible crackle, a red haired human flickering into existence on the staircase to catch Diana.

There was a silence among the room, only a soft laugh of embarrassment from Diana breaking the quiet. "Well, nice catch Knocks."

Knock Out only grinned at her, gathering her in his arms. "Geez, learn to walk squishy."

"Wait wait wait, you have a holoform?!" Ratchet blurted, stepping to the bottom of the stairs as Knock Out made his way down, setting Diana back on her feet.

"Yeah, what of it?" Knock Out sighed in reply.

"What's a holoform?" Raf asked, the three younger humans having clambered down the staircase as well, all of them peering at Knock Out's holoform.

"It is a projection, made mostly from energon, it's hard to explain in a way you'd understand." Arcee said, setting a hand on her hip. "It makes certain tasks easier, being able to create a smaller version of ourselves, but most bots lost the ability or desire when the war began."

"Wicked." Miko grinned, poking at Knock Out, who scowled down at her. "You feel so real dude!"

The Decepticon just rolled his eyes, trying to maneuver himself so that Diana was between him and the teenagers. "For all intensive purposes it is real."

"Why would you take a human form?" Ratchet asked, leaning forwards a tad, still scrutinizing the other mech with his gaze.

Knock Out stared up at the Autobot medic. "Really? You're serious?" He looked to Diana, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

Diana coughed slightly, blushing a moment. "Alright, is this _really_ such a big deal?"

Ratchet frowned, seeming to take a moment to consider something. "Knock Out, you and Diana, have you two had interc-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, that's enough!" Diana shrieked, flailing her arms about. "I am not about to discuss my sex life in front of everyone!"

"So there is a sex life?" Miko grinned, Jack and Raf doing a poor job of hiding their amusement as Knock Out gave a devilish grin.

"No! I mean, well, yes! But, that's, agh!" Diana continued to flail, bringing her hands to her face to hide her expression.

"Knock Out..." Ratchet began. "You are aware that any, bodily fluids, the holoform may produce will be energon based." His tone was flat, a disproving scowl appearing on the older mech's features.

Something seemed to click for Arcee as well, the femme blinking and looking to Knock Out. "Energon's toxic to humans."

Knock Out looked between the pair, his features crinkling as he put two and two together. "Toxic..." His eyes widening, the holoform crackling and fading, his true body unfolding from his alternate mode at a speed that had Ratchet frowning. "How could I be so stupid?"

"What?" Diana only blinked, her expression just as lost as the other humans in the room.

"Di, all the times you were sick after we, you know..." He trailed off, giving a sidelong glance to the young trio. "It was me, poisoning you, from the inside." He looked back to Diana, his expression one of blatant shame.

Diana frowned, looking to the floor with pursed lips. "That explains a lot I guess."

"How often do you two engage in-" Ratchet began, only to be interrupted by Knock Out turning on him.

"It's none of your business!" The red mech exclaimed, jabbing a finger against the Autobot's chest.

Ratchet huffed at the other mech, shoving his hand away. "I was merely curious, prolonged exposure to smaller doses of energon may explain Diana's seeming immunity to it's toxic effects."

Knock Out just grumbled, folding his arms over his chest and looking away.

"And it was idiotic of you to-"

"All right! That's enough for one night!" Knock Out interrupted the older mech once again, scooping up a now bemused Diana and turning to the base's exit.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Arcee called after them, trying to ignore the rising snickers of Raf, Jack and Miko.

"Out. Walk. Drive. Bye." Knock Out replied, slowing only to transform, securing Diana in his passenger seat as he accelerated out of the base.

* * *

Diana wasn't sure how to react to the discovery, she was mostly amused, but a little surprised as well. But hey, things like this were bound to happen when you loved an alien robot, right?

She sighed, sitting up, having seated herself on Knock Out's hood once he stopped driving. "You know I'm not mad at you." She glanced towards his windshield, silence answering her. "You don't need to sulk."

"I'm not sulking." He retorted, his voice negating the statement with it's pouting tone.

"Knocks-"

"Diana, I could have killed you. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

"You could have killed me lots of times." Diana smirked, sliding off of him and turning to face him. "You're like four times my height, you could have accidentally stepped on me numerous times."

He sputtered at her, transforming and ending in a kneeling position so his face was level with her. "I would never do something that..." He trailed off, features crinkling as he tried to find a suitable word.

"My point exactly. You'd never intentionally hurt me, and it's not like you were poisoning me on purpose."

Knock Out flinched at her use of the word poisoning.

"Knocks, it's okay. Mistakes happen, and will probably keep happening given the nature of our relationship." She stepped forwards, closing her eyes and resting her forehead against his cheek. "And I'm perfectly fine with that. It's worth it to be with you."

After a moments silence he finally sighed, gently nuzzling her with his face. "You're crazy, you know that fleshbag?"

"People do crazy things when they're in love, you'll learn that soon enough motor-mouth."

* * *

**Murr :3 Bit of an explanation for Diana's earlier illness'. *sneaks off and crawls into bed***

**And I just want to say a BIG thank you to anyone who's followed me about on here, and tumblr. :)**


	25. For Her

"How about here?"

"Too hot."

"Well, here?"

"Ick, too humid."

Diana huffed, leaning forwards to bang her forehead on the table that she had spread a map of the United States out on. She had been pointing to different locations, then looking to Knock Out for an opinion. So far it was going, slow. "Then you pick somewhere."

The red mech was sitting next to her, his knees bent and falling out to the side while the bottoms of his feet were pressed together. "That's no fun." He was picking at the seams of his plating, picking out any bits of dust and what not that had gathered there, though Diana claimed it impossible with the amount of preening he did.

"Well we can't stay here forever Knocks." Diana sat up, propping her elbow on the table and looking to Knock Out, her chin resting in her hand.

"I know that." He murmured in response, looking down to meet her gaze.

"It's clear you're not going back to the Decepticons."

"Duh."

"But you won't join the Autobots."

Knock Out gave a low sound from the back of his throat, averting his gaze.

"So, pick a place to move to already." The slender human female sighed again, rising from her seat and pacing about the room, taking the time to stretch her legs. "Ratchet says you're fit as a fiddle."

The mech gave her an odd look, not understanding the phrase.

"Healthy, fixed up, right as rain, good to go." Diana smirked, nudging the toe of her work boot against one of his legs as she paced around him.

He gave a deep sigh, giving the map an almost spiteful gaze before returning to watching Diana stroll around the room. "What do _you_ want?"

The question made Diana blink, slowly turning on her heel to glance to him. They hadn't exactly talked about what their game plan would be once Knock Out was back to normal, every time the idea was brought up the crimson medic would change the topic, do his best to avoid the conversation. She'd only managed to get him to sit and actually discuss it by threatening to hide the buffer and keep her hands off of him if he didn't. "I, I don't..." she glanced to the floor, her features crinkling into a frown.

There was a gentle crackling behind her, a pair of now familiar, yet not exactly human, arms encircling her. "Di, what do you want?"

Diana sighed, turning about in the embrace of Knock Out's holoform and taking hold of the collar of the black button down shirt he had assigned to his so called, civilian, form; a black dress shirt with a simple pair of blue jeans and black running shoes. "I just want us to be happy, I want everyone to be happy."

"Who says we won't be?" He cracked a grin, lightly touching his forehead to hers.

"Knocks." Diana sighed again, closing her eyes as his forehead met hers. "Your species is at war, we can't just turn our backs on that." She felt his brow furrow in response. "It's going to follow you no matter where we go."

There was a moment of silence between the two, Diana waiting for a reply, Knock Out unsure of what to say.

He'd never dreamed his life would have taken a turn like this, leaving him on an alien world, trying to be neutral in the war, with a human as his mate. He could almost head Breakdown laughing at him.

"Fine." There was another flurry of static, his holoform dissipating so fast that Diana lost her balance and nearly toppled over, having been leaning on him.

"Fine?" She twisted to watch him as he stood, tilting his head from side to side to "crack" the neck of his true body before turning to walk out of the room. "Knocks, wait, what are you?" She jogged after him, having to keep jogging to keep pace with him.

The mech only slowed his pace a tad, his spark humming in protest of leaving her behind, the gentle ache of what it seemed to see as treating his mate badly rising in his chest. He just sighed, trying to squash the over protectiveness of himself as he strode into the command center of the Autobot base, drawing the eyes of all humans and Autobots alike to himself. "Ceremonitize me."

The Autobots blinked, looking between themselves and then to Diana, who only shook her head to signal that she was just as lost as them.

"Beg your pardon?" Optimus spoke, taking a few steps towards Knock Out.

"I want to be an Autobot, so do what ever you guys do. Put glitter on me, do a ribbon dance, party with the humans." Knock Out gave a shrug, trailing off with the action.

There was a silence in the room, Ratchet being the one to break the quiet. "You want to WHAT?"

"Got rust in your ears? I want to join you." Knock Out replied, setting a hand on his hip.

Ratchet could only sputter, darting to Optimus' side. "Optimus, I know we took Knock Out in, and agreed to stop viewing him as our enemy, but to take him as one of our own, to trust him with our backs!"

Optimus raised a hand, asking for the Autobot Medic's silence. "Explain your reasoning Knock Out." The Prime gave a quick glance to Diana, who had been staring at Knock Out with a bemused expression.

Knock Out simply extended a hand, hovering it over Diana to point down at her.

Diana blinked as he indicated her as his reason. "But you said -"

"I know what I said." Knock Out cut he off, looking down to her. "And you're right, even if you and I were to run away, the war would grind on. And I..." he glanced to Optimus, meeting and holding the Prime's steady gaze. "I could not live with myself if I ran."

Optimus kept his gaze on Knock Out's for a moment, consideration flickering in the Prime's eyes. "Very well, prove yourself to us then." There was a great inhale from those in the room, as if everyone were about to speak at once, but Optimus spoke again, keeping anyone else from speaking and cementing his decision by moving on and gesturing to one of the computers in the room. "These are co-ordinates for four relics, relics from Iacon. We need to secure them before Megatron does."

Knock Out stepped forwards, frowning a tad as he studied the screen, ignoring the mild chatter occurring between the Autobot's and their human friends. "More relics, but not weapons. Keys?" His eyes darted from side to side, quickly reading what data there was on the Omega Keys. He grew still as realization dawned on him, the importance of the keys sinking in. "How can I help?"

* * *

***flops around on the floor* I'm still alive, just uber busy, have a blurb. :3**


End file.
